How should I annotate 2 rests in a row

[pmatz2]

(It's only my personal opinion.)
Geoffrey Shob, as a talented and very dedicated bass player, has spent LOTS of time with his bass guitar, and not enough time learning Music Theory/Harmony.
Most probably, Geoffrey uses some notation app (maybe, Guitar Pro.)
He (a) does not indicate any key signature,
(b) (most probably) enters the notes from TAB,
and
(c) the notation app assigns a note on the Standard sheet. If that note does not "match" the C major scale, then, it (always) uses the sharp accidental.

Your notation is very neat and easy to read.

I get where he’s coming from. I’m a tab guy myself. I like tab and rhythm notation combined. When I first attempted to create tabs I used guitar pro and never worried about keys or making it readable since I wasn’t sight reading and only cared about the tabs and rhythms. Then I started getting constructive feedback that people were actually reading the sheet music and ignoring the tabs. Now I focus on the sheet music side and it makes a world of difference. Still a work in progress.

 

[Les Fret]

It's from a professionally transcribed bass-lines from a Bass Guitar magazine (France.)
Now, about that M31.
It's only my speculation.
When one is transcribing a complicated instrument (bass guitar) line with some notation app/software, sometimes is just much easier (and faster) just to add a "strange" rest even if it does not look attractive.

Think there is an interview/article on me in the exact same issue!
Is it the one with Billy Sheehan on the cover?

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Think there is an interview/article on me in the exact same issue!
Is it the one with Billy Sheehan on the cover?

It has Mark King on the cover.
There is an interview with Billy Sheehan also.

P.S. I see you are about to release your book,
"Next Level Slap Bass Volumes 1 & 2".

 

[Les Fret]

It has Mark King on the cover.
There is an interview with Billy Sheehan also.

P.S. I see you are about to release your book,
"Next Level Slap Bass Volumes 1 & 2".

ok then that's another issue. I was in March 2023. You are right about the books.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Still a work in progress.

What do you think about the following notation?
Is it correct and why?

Is the following example correct and why?

And now the last question.
"Les Fret" commenting in this thread is a VERY SERIOUS BASS PLAYER.
He has a column in one of the Bass Guitar magazines - De Bassist - in Europe.
Here is one of his slap exercises from that magazine.
Why do you think he decided to rhythmically notate the second exercise his way?

 

[pmatz2]

What do you think about the following notation?
Is it correct and why?
View attachment 5002231

Is the following example correct and why?

View attachment 5002232

And now the last question.
"Les Fret" commenting in this thread is a VERY SERIOUS BASS PLAYER.
He has a column in one of the Bass Guitar magazines - De Bassist - in Europe.
Here is one of his slap exercises from that magazine.
Why do you think he decided to rhythmically notate the second exercise his way?
View attachment 5002234

I’ll give it a shot

Example 1 I have no issues with it 6/8 time and 1/16 notes. It clearly shows the strong beat and makes it easy to see. My brain says groups of 3 1/16 notes with 2 strong beats. Dotted eight is fine with me ( screams 3 to me in this case) (hope that makes sense) also The rests could be combined but I’m ok with the way it is because its easy to see and also screams 3

Example 2 could be a dotted quarter note (it’s so sparse that it’s an easy read) but I prefer it the way it is (cleanly shows the beat division) but maybe break the beam between the tied notes , but it’s clear to me.

Example 3 10/16
shows where he wants the strong beats or counted as 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 so I think it’s good

 

[SteveCS]

What do you think about the following notation?
Is it correct and why?
View attachment 5002231

Is the following example correct and why?

View attachment 5002232

And now the last question.
"Les Fret" commenting in this thread is a VERY SERIOUS BASS PLAYER.
He has a column in one of the Bass Guitar magazines - De Bassist - in Europe.
Here is one of his slap exercises from that magazine.
Why do you think he decided to rhythmically notate the second exercise his way?
View attachment 5002234

I won't say a definitive 'right' or 'wrong' for any of them. I know what I think and have confidence in my thinking. But more recent texts, even from 'authoritative' sources, seem to be becoming more relaxed over rigid application of established 'rules', which means someone somewhere will quote something to the contrary and it will all start to unravel. So...

IMHO, example 1 looks 'unconventional'. In compound time those pairs of semiquavers should, by convention, be better as quavers as they all 'belong' to the same beat.

Example 2 also appears, IMHO, somewhat unconventional. The tie is normal, conventional and expected. The beam that links beats 1 and 2 is suspicious. Beaming 4 quavers in a row is acceptable in 4/4 for beats 1/2 and 3/4. Whilst these are all beats 1/2, more conventional would be the rest followed by a single quaver for beat 1 then a beamed pair for beat 2.

Example 3 is somewhat meaningless without a time signature. I've seen scores where triplets are just left as groups of 3 without the '-3-' over them - Sevcik Op.3 is just one example. So it could be 2/4 with unmarked triplets, in which case it is fine. Or it could be 5/8, in which case the grouping might be seen as highly suspect, IMHO. Might as well group them two groups of five.

But right or wrong - I'm no longer brave enough to call that!

 

[Richard Lindsey]

What do you think about the following notation?
Is it correct and why?
View attachment 5002231

Is the following example correct and why?

View attachment 5002232

And now the last question.
"Les Fret" commenting in this thread is a VERY SERIOUS BASS PLAYER.
He has a column in one of the Bass Guitar magazines - De Bassist - in Europe.
Here is one of his slap exercises from that magazine.
Why do you think he decided to rhythmically notate the second exercise his way?
View attachment 5002234

I'll give it a whack, with the caveat that this stuff is not an exact science; there remains room for different practices ... to an extent.

Example 1: I'm not familiar with a bikutsi groove. This seems OK on the face of it. But from the groupings of the notes, I suspect that it might be better written in 12/8 with all the note values doubled.

Example 2: I am, however, pretty familiar with baiao, and this is definitely one way you can do it. (You can also write it in 2/4, with all the note values halved.) The tie in the first measure is fine and IMO preferable. I wouldn't do the tie in the second measure, though. A common or garden quarter note is fine for the two tied eighth notes, and I'd argue it's preferable and easier to read.

Example 3: If the author really feels and counts it in 10/16, as he well might, then the renderings of the actual notes seem fine. But I don't know why you wouldn't just call it 5/8, especially since the tempo is given in reference to an eighth note. Also, the legato markings are a bit confusing in spots. Especially when they're between two instances of the same pitch. Almost everybody is going to read that as a tie rather than an articulation mark. I'd be tempted to scrap most if not all of the legati myself. Given the notes and the fingerings, there probably aren't too many ways this could be played anyway, and overspecifying can make something harder to read.

Just my $0.02.

 

[Febs]

Example 3 is somewhat meaningless without a time signature. I've seen scores where triplets are just left as groups of 3 without the '-3-' over them - Sevcik Op.3 is just one example. So it could be 2/4 with unmarked triplets, in which case it is fine. Or it could be 5/8, in which case the grouping might be seen as highly suspect, IMHO. Might as well group them two groups of five.

There's a time signature -- it's 10/16, so the 2+3+2+3 grouping is fine. The tab indicates that the two D notes on the first two 16ths of the measure are played on different strings so they seem to be slurred, not tied, which is also fine but there should be some indication in the notation that they're on different strings.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

but there should be some indication in the notation that they're on different strings.

That would certainly be helpful. Classical guitar music sometimes uses a convention that might help clarify this--that is, placing the string number in a circle above the note. So if you put a circled 2 above the first D and a circled 3 above the second, that would give the idea ... at least for 4- and 5-stringers. Wouldn't help for 6+ stringers.

Another expedient would be to add left-hand fingerings, which can often give you similar info, albeit often indirectly. If you put a 0 next to the first D and a 1 next to the second, you'd figure out that they were on different strings.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

I suspect that it might be better written in 12/8 with all the note values doubled

The rhythmic phrase's length (in this particular example) is more appropriate for 6/8, but it's only my opinion.
Here is "Bikutsi Groove From Cameroon In 9/8"

 

[Whousedtoplay]

The tab indicates that the two D notes on the first two 16ths of the measure are played on different string

One is an open string - D

 

[Richard Lindsey]

The rhythmic phrase's length (in this particular example) is more appropriate for 6/8, but it's only my opinion.

What about if you double the note values as I suggested?

Here is "Bikutsi Groove From Cameroon In 9/8"

Here's one in 12/8. You see it takes a full measure of 12/8 to complete the groove.

How To Play The Bikutsi

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Especially when they're between two instances of the same pitch.

As Febs correctly identified, you hit -Slap - with your Thumb the open D sting, and hammer D on the A string.

It's about the "cross-string hammer-on" technique.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

a full measure of 12/8 to complete the groove

The rhythmic phrasing clearly requires 12/8.
It does not have a rhythmic structure/accents of 6/8.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

As Febs correctly identified, you hit -Slap - with your Thumb the open D sting, and hammer D on the A string.

Yes, of course, but you wouldn't know that from the notation alone. You'd need either (a) the TAB or (b) some kind of additional notation like the string/fingering conventions mentioned above. If you don't have either of those, the curved line connecting the first two Ds in that example is confusing.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

I wouldn't do the tie in the second measure, though. A common or garden quarter note is fine for the two tied eighth notes, and I'd argue it's preferable and easier to read.

Is it your preferred choice?

Another example of a, kind of, similar notation.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

If you don't have either of those, the curved line connecting the first two Ds in that example is confusing.

At least, our TB member Les Fret is getting a very informative feedback about his tutorial from a very knowledgeable musicians.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

If the author really feels and counts it in 10/16, as he well might, then the renderings of the actual notes seem fine. But I don't know why you wouldn't just call it 5/8

I think in a few hours, Les Fret will provide us his answer.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

Is it your preferred choice?

View attachment 5002807

Yes, though actually, for a baiao, I'd more often prefer to do it in 2/4 and cut the note values in half: Thus, 16th rest, 8th note, 16th note, two 8th notes.

Another example of a, kind of, similar notation.
View attachment 5002809

This scribe seems to have a pattern of grouping by single beats whenever possible, even though it's not really demanded by the common practice Febs (I think?) described earlier, which was to group by double the smallest note value in the measure. So I'm not surprised to see that tie in measure 7, even though I might have done it differently. It's certainly not hard to read.