Someone bail me out. This is driving me nuts.

Steve · #1 10-28-2007, 01:09 PM

The Ben E. King version of "I who have nothing".

Can someone please tell me the time signature of that thing?

It's specific to that version. I don't know if it's because the vocal is so far behind the beat at times or what but it's beyond me. That doesn't happen very often and it's really bugging me.

Thanks in advance.

dlloyd · #2 10-28-2007, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

The Ben E. King version of "I who have nothing".

Can someone please tell me the time signature of that thing?

It's specific to that version. I don't know if it's because the vocal is so far behind the beat at times or what but it's beyond me. That doesn't happen very often and it's really bugging me.

Thanks in advance.

4/4

Steve · #3 10-28-2007, 04:39 PM

Did you check the version mentioned?
I've always played it in 4/4 without issue but that version...no way.

If it is, it's the most bizarre 4/4 ever arranged.

dlloyd · #4 10-28-2007, 04:47 PM

If it's this one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHrhhp7rHfg

...yes it's in 4/4.

There's a pause that might be confusing you.

DocBop · #5 10-28-2007, 04:56 PM

I don't what you think is weird its in 4/4. Listen to the bass he hitting the And of 4 and then 1 all the time. The strings are kind of a 12/8 Feel, but even that is a form of 4.

As long as the rhythm section is tight the singer (or soloist) and play with the beat however they want.

Steve · #6 10-28-2007, 05:00 PM

yeah.

I guess if you count it as 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &,

and you start the line at 4, it works out.

The count is so far removed from the onstage arrangement I've been dealing with for the last few years it got inside my brain.

Thanks.

dlloyd · #7 10-29-2007, 05:12 AM

It's easy enough to count if you listen to the strings. Take the first verse.

The first 'I' of 'I... I who have nothing' is on the first beat of the bar.

The strings rest on the first beat of that bar, then play eighths on beats two and three, with a quarter note on beat 4. On the next bar, the strings rest on beat one, play eighth note triplets on beat two, then straight eighths on beats three and four...

Code:

| 1      2      3      4      | 1      2       3      4      |
| -      2 and  3 and  4      | -      2-e-and 3 and  4 and  |

**Mark Wilson** · #8 11-01-2007, 06:13 PM

Yep. I'm counting it in 4.