Emphasis in different time sigs

[JimK]

Originally posted by aaguudis


no. reggae bass and drums and the whole vibe, downbeat is on 2 and 4. it gets confusing because of the guitar, which plays on the "and" as in one-AND two-AND three-AND four-AND and doesnt really accent the 2 or 4.

just listen to the bass drum.

Just listen to the bass drum? That assumes the drummer knows what he's doing. Right?

That guitar rhythm you've mentioned is sometimes called a "skank" rhythm(don't make me dig out the book I picked that up from)..."Roxanne" by The Police is a well-known example.
I have heard "Reggae" guitarists play only on Beats 2 & 4, though...sometimes, they'll even throw in a curve & play on "2" and "the & of 3"(anticipates Beat "4").
Then again, maybe the "2" & "4" is on account of this-

Bass player counts-
l1-2-3-4-l1-2-3-4-l

Guitar player counts-
l1e&a2e&a3e&4e&al

The "2" & "4" is now on the "&"s of 1-2-3-4.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

I was looking at the catalogue of Aebersold "play alongs" the other day and noticed that one of the most recent - Vol 90 - is called "Odd Times" and the descriptions says :"Makes unusual time signatures fall as natural as 4/4" (sic) - so maybe it would be helpful to get this for nailing these things - I know that for me, playing along with the "feel" helps me get it fixed in my head.

 

[cassanova]

Originally posted by Bruce Lindfield
Makes unusual time signatures fall as natural as 4/4" (sic) - so maybe it would be helpful to get this for nailing these things - I know that for me, playing along with the "feel" helps me get it fixed in my head.

I was playing along with my drummer friend that I mentioned, We we're going off in all sorts of different time sigs, anything but 4/4....It IMO was definatly easier to play it by feeling it, than it was for me to count it out,,,seems when Id count Id get all messed up, but when I cut loose and didnt count it all fell into play.