Do you count?

[mickeyw3340]

My gigs are church gigs. The only time I count is when the vocalists are singing descant parts (some people singing one thing and others singing another) , or singing in rounds (like row row row your boat). I pretty much have to count in these situations or get lost as heck. I don't think I so much as actually count, as pay more attention to my foot tapping.

(If some are singing one thing and some are singing another and it sounds good, it's descant. If it sounds like crap then somebody is on the wrong page)

 

[Area51]

I only count when im on a rest

 

[wulf]

Sometimes - a lot when I'm transcribing a line (including slowing it right down and working out the subdivisions for where notes start and end) and somewhat less when actually performing (where I'll be moving with the beat but am more likely to count bars than individual beats).

The only song that actually comes to mind where I've definitely counted beats in the recent past was one we sing at church. There's meant to be almost a bar's rest before the final line but I was getting very frustrated by how everyone seemed to instinctively drop a couple of beats. Finally, when my turn to lead came up again, I started the service by teaching the band and congregation to quietly count 'two three four' to help them bridge the gap and it goes much more smoothly now

Wulf

 

[Brian S]

I play in 4 and 5 piece combos and in an 18 piece big band playing the standards by Duke Ellingotn, Count Basie, some Sinatra tunes, etc. I usually only count rests and sometimes tap my foot on the slow ballads. My main goal is to maintain a steady tempo. It is very easy to start rushing the ballads and the driving swing tunes.