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how do i count in?

T

Tombolino

Dec 28, 2012
326
17
#1
Curious about general rules of thumb on how to count in songs?

Also attached Sidewinder sheet music. How do I count in that one?

:)

Thank you!

S
 

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#5
Based on what I see, I'd probably say 1,2,3,4,1. The last 1 should be emphasized. one, two, three, four, ONE! Possibly add in the 2...depends on tempo, the ensemble, etc... some might even need subdivisions (one and two).
 
#6
You almost don't need to count in because the bass starts it off. Just play those pickup notes at the beginning "ba ba ba" and then everyone is in hard on the 1.

Counting is something like this: 1,2,3,4,1,2 ba ba ba (then hard on the 1.)

Great song!
 
#10
The main thing about counting in is to make sure you maintain that tempo that you counted in when you start playing.

It is difficult to have someone count in 1, 2, 3, 4 and then start playing the tune ah 1 , 2, 3, 4. Guitarist in one group does that sometimes. In those situations I do my best with the drummer to get the tempo going, but it is a struggle.
 
#11
Tombolino said:
No....many times people count for example 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4 etc
Click to expand...

It's standard practice on jazz/swing gigs for whoever's counting off the tune to establish the half-note first, then the quarter. So, you'll hear the person snapping their fingers on beats 2 & 4, count off a measure in 2, then in four. So literally: "1 [snap] 2 [snap], 1 2 3 4".

With "Sidewinder," it's a common-enough tune that most people are going to know the bass intro that starts the song. BUT, it's always a good idea to be clear with the other musicians on stage: say "I'm going to give you 4, then the intro" to establish that you'll count an empty measure of 4 to set the tempo, then the very next measure will be the measure containing the bass pick-up, and then you're in the form.
 
#12
Tombolino said:
No....many times people count for example 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4 etc
Click to expand...

Okay, I see what you're getting at. It'd be 1-SPACE-2-SPACE-1-2 [enter on +]-3-4 like the_stone describes.

the_stone said:
It's standard practice on jazz/swing gigs for whoever's counting off the tune to establish the half-note first, then the quarter. So, you'll hear the person snapping their fingers on beats 2 & 4, count off a measure in 2, then in four. So literally: "1 [snap] 2 [snap], 1 2 3 4".

With "Sidewinder," it's a common-enough tune that most people are going to know the bass intro that starts the song. BUT, it's always a good idea to be clear with the other musicians on stage: say "I'm going to give you 4, then the intro" to establish that you'll count an empty measure of 4 to set the tempo, then the very next measure will be the measure containing the bass pick-up, and then you're in the form.
Click to expand...
 
#13
Just as the_stone is saying, I'd count it "1 2(on beat 3) 1 2" and play on the and of 2. This is how I count of Born Under a Bad Sign by Cream, which also has a pickup measure that starts on the and of 2.

Also, I hum the melody in my head before I start counting to make sure I count the proper tempo for the tune.
 
#14
elgecko said:
If it was a bar of 2/4 followed by a bar of 4/4 then sure.
Click to expand...

This is a common way of counting a band in. The first "1" and "2" are counted in as half notes. I would also count in "1,2,3,4,1,2", or possibly "3,4,1,2", if the band can pull the tempo that quickly. I hate long count offs, so if the band was with it, I would count "1,2" or just start the tune since it is a bass pick up.
 
#17
If everyone in the band actually knows the tune then I wouldn't count at all and just start the line on the & of 2. If I'm not sure if everyone knows the song then I would count 1,2 and start the line on the & of 2 so that those not familiar with the song would not get turned around by assuming that the first note played was beat 1.
 
#18
the_stone said:
It's standard practice on jazz/swing gigs for whoever's counting off the tune to establish the half-note first, then the quarter. So, you'll hear the person snapping their fingers on beats 2 & 4, count off a measure in 2, then in four. So literally: "1 [snap] 2 [snap], 1 2 3 4".

With "Sidewinder," it's a common-enough tune that most people are going to know the bass intro that starts the song. BUT, it's always a good idea to be clear with the other musicians on stage: say "I'm going to give you 4, then the intro" to establish that you'll count an empty measure of 4 to set the tempo, then the very next measure will be the measure containing the bass pick-up, and then you're in the form.
Click to expand...
Also, since this tune in particular is a straight eighth note feel, I would set up the quarter note, rather than the half note. And I'd do that by starting out snapping on every quarter and then counting the half note, then quarter as in the 1, 2 -1 1,2,3,4,
 

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