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How do you figure out time signatures?
- Thread starter Travisx2112
- Start date
I think I am getrting this! I was counting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 while listening to Everything in its right Place, and the synth, and whatever, returns to the beginning after 10 beats, right? Why is it still a four though?
Ok, I'm more confused than ever. Screw theory; back to finger exercise (for the moment). Any instructors in the Asheville area that would come to my place?
its still 'a four' because a quarter note is what is getting one beat. So its its not IN four, its in ten. When you count 12345678910 you're count quarter notes, the '4' of 10/4.
So what time signature is the intro (and the beggining of Apocalypse Please) to the Absolution album by Muse in? 5/4? one two three four five, one two three four five?
If you start learning music notation, the confusion will go away rather quickly...just ignoring the pitches and focusing on rhythm can be a great
eye opener.
to answer the OP's question:
I used to play 'guess the time signature' alot with my prog records. The surest way was to just tap my fingers to the beat and start counting until I heard the phrase repeat. Each time it repeats, start over at 1. You can zero in on the 'top number' of the time signature pretty quickly that way.
alternately count 1234 over and over until one of the '1234's gets cut off by the repeat of the phrase, and then add them up.
A lot of Prog Rock and Fusion tunes will also change time sigs mid- song too, so watch out for that.
And just to explain the same thing as others have in more engineer-ish way:
In a time signature X/Y :
X = how many steps you count before repeating (aka how many beats to a measure/bar)
Y= the 'size' of the step (half note, quarter note, eighth note ...ect) nothing to do with how many steps you count.
If you're not reading notation, you can pretty much ignore the bottom number.
It only vaguely implies the tempo : for example 4/4 and 4/8 would be 'counted' the same (1234 1234 1234 ...etc)
but the 4/8 implies that it has a faster feel... Not that 4/8 is in any way a commonly used time sig.
eye opener.
to answer the OP's question:
I used to play 'guess the time signature' alot with my prog records. The surest way was to just tap my fingers to the beat and start counting until I heard the phrase repeat. Each time it repeats, start over at 1. You can zero in on the 'top number' of the time signature pretty quickly that way.
alternately count 1234 over and over until one of the '1234's gets cut off by the repeat of the phrase, and then add them up.
A lot of Prog Rock and Fusion tunes will also change time sigs mid- song too, so watch out for that.
And just to explain the same thing as others have in more engineer-ish way:
In a time signature X/Y :
X = how many steps you count before repeating (aka how many beats to a measure/bar)
Y= the 'size' of the step (half note, quarter note, eighth note ...ect) nothing to do with how many steps you count.
If you're not reading notation, you can pretty much ignore the bottom number.
It only vaguely implies the tempo : for example 4/4 and 4/8 would be 'counted' the same (1234 1234 1234 ...etc)
but the 4/8 implies that it has a faster feel... Not that 4/8 is in any way a commonly used time sig.
Look at the sheet music.
Haha
But seriously you can't truly figure out ones just by hearing it. It's really up the composer to choose.
If one guy says its 6/8 and the other says its 3/4, they should sound exactly the same, but the composer may have choose either one of them.
You should never count that high though.
But that would work.
I would count it, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2,/ 1, 2, 3, 1, 2
Count it was 5/4
Count the time signature on this
You can count it my way, or yours.
Haha
But seriously you can't truly figure out ones just by hearing it. It's really up the composer to choose.
If one guy says its 6/8 and the other says its 3/4, they should sound exactly the same, but the composer may have choose either one of them.
You should never count that high though.
But that would work.
I would count it, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2,/ 1, 2, 3, 1, 2
Count it was 5/4
Count the time signature on this
You can count it my way, or yours.
This conversation is useless with out basic knowledge of musical notation.
Maybe pass on the time signature lesson until until you have learned a little about basic western music concepts like notation lines, bass clef, treble clef, All-Cows-Eat-Grass, Good-Boys-Do-Fine-Always, bars, measures, whole notes, half notes, eight notes, sixteenth notes, rests, repeats, etc..
Plenty of great sites for basic music theory starting with standard notation.
Maybe pass on the time signature lesson until until you have learned a little about basic western music concepts like notation lines, bass clef, treble clef, All-Cows-Eat-Grass, Good-Boys-Do-Fine-Always, bars, measures, whole notes, half notes, eight notes, sixteenth notes, rests, repeats, etc..
Plenty of great sites for basic music theory starting with standard notation.
the second number "8" is not the amount of times its played its the size of the note, called a quaver.
3/4 is 3 crotchets in a bar
4/4 is 4 crotchets in a bar
6/8 is 6 quavers in a bar
if you have a listen to any waltz music this will show you 3/4 better.
the best way to get used to time signatures would be to listen to a lot of progressive music and try and count the beats yourself, and buy a music theory book to accompany it. its not that hard once you get the basics.
While listening to a song with a Waltz beat to it, listen for this:
ONE - two - three - ONE - two - three ...
The emphasis is on the first beat of the 3/4 measure. Now imagine how people dance to this beat. A big step is made in the dance on the first, strong beat. Less exagerated steps on the 2nd and 3rd.
ONE - two - three - ONE - two - three ...
The emphasis is on the first beat of the 3/4 measure. Now imagine how people dance to this beat. A big step is made in the dance on the first, strong beat. Less exagerated steps on the 2nd and 3rd.
