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Old 04-09-2001, 10:09 AM
mapletrees mapletrees is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2001
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hey...

the top number represents the number of beats per measure

the bottom number indicates what TYPE of note gets one beat..

so...

ex) 3/4 time means three beats per measure, and a quarter note gets one beat....each measure would be counted 1-2-3 (if you saw three quarter notes) or 1-an-2-an-3-an (those are 'and's' without the letter "d"...it's too tough to speak quickly with the d sound) if you saw six eighth notes

ex) 4/4 time means 4 beats per measure and a quarter note gets one beat...each measure would be counted 1-2-3-4 if you saw four quarter notes or 1-an-2-an-3-an-4-an if you saw eight eighth notes

things get a little funny when there is an 8 in the bottom...

ex) 6/8 time would mean there are 6 beats per measure and an eighth note gets one beat...

but what really happens is the following...

6/8 means you feel two groups of three...you count 1-an-uh 2-an-uh...and you accent the numbers....that's a totally different feel than 3/4 time even though the 'fractions' are equivalent...

9/8 means you feel three groups of three...you count 1 an uh 2 an uh 3 an uh

12/8 means you feel four groups of three...you count 1 an uh 2 an uh 3 an uh 4 an uh...

something else that is common is what is known as 'cut time'....

cut time (denoted by a C with a vertical line through it) is just 2/2 time..two beats in a measure and a half note gets one beat

if you saw 2 half notes in cut time within a measure you would count 1 2.

if you saw four quarter notes within a measure in cut time you would count 1 an 2 an.

Now....

Believe me....it would be a whole lot more productive to check out those reading music books I suggest in the Playing and Technique section....that stuff above must look and read like gobbldygook!

Get the CD's too....
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