I sometimes get a bit lost when a bit lost when trying to figure out the rhythm and time measure of songs, when a lot of instruments are playing. Is that normal or am I a bit rhythm deaf?
Take for example Let there be light by Justice:
Has it got a syncopated rhythm? As far as I know, it's on a 4x4 time measure with kicks on each beat, but is the are the hi-hat syncopated? If so, where?
Rhythm syncopation, triplets, etc
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RandolphCarter RandolphCarter https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=185449
- KVRist
- 163 posts since 22 Jul, 2008
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- KVRist
- 441 posts since 30 Apr, 2007
I know it seems kind of childish, but it really helps to count and clap rhythms and sub-divide the beats until you get the hang of things. Live musicians are always tapping a foot or nodding their head or something to keep the beat when their own role is more syncopated.
This Justice piece has your basic pattern in 4 with 16th notes. The kick plays every beat, and the hat plays every 16th note. But the accents on the hat are syncopated. They come on count 2, count 3, and the 16th note before count 1. That last one is the tricky one. The kick plays every beat the same strength, so you don't get a very strong feeling of count 1 until other parts start coming in.
This Justice piece has your basic pattern in 4 with 16th notes. The kick plays every beat, and the hat plays every 16th note. But the accents on the hat are syncopated. They come on count 2, count 3, and the 16th note before count 1. That last one is the tricky one. The kick plays every beat the same strength, so you don't get a very strong feeling of count 1 until other parts start coming in.
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- KVRist
- 39 posts since 5 Aug, 2010 from Los Angeles, CA
Counting and clapping out rhythms and beats is one of the things they have you do in "ear training" classes at all the "good" schools of music. The other thing to listen for is where the rhythmic cycle repeats. In your example song, the hi hats are simply subdivisions to the bass drum. The repeat point falls on a 4 beat cycle.
If you have a hard time identifying time signatures, find a good book on the subject and just practice clapping and counting the beats as Nystul suggests and soon you'll find that it's easier to "hear" certain common time signatures, and to also calculate more complex time signatures.
If you have a hard time identifying time signatures, find a good book on the subject and just practice clapping and counting the beats as Nystul suggests and soon you'll find that it's easier to "hear" certain common time signatures, and to also calculate more complex time signatures.
The tool that gives you the results you expected *is* the right tool for the job.
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RandolphCarter RandolphCarter https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=185449
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 163 posts since 22 Jul, 2008
OK I think I'm getting it. I just didn't get the feel that the rhythm was syncopated because I thought only rhythms with snare or kick syncopation were considered like that (like breaks and so on).
Thanks a lot guys.
Btw your nickname, Nystul, brings me back memories of playing D&D
Thanks a lot guys.
Btw your nickname, Nystul, brings me back memories of playing D&D