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Questions tagged [beats]

For questions about the underlying pulse of a musical piece. Do not use for questions about rhythm patterns and instead use the rhythm tag.

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4 votes
3 answers
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How would you read this time change with the given note equivalence?

Without the note equivalence I would just read the following as "play twice as fast". In this case though it seems like nothing changes from 3/4 to 3/8, since the beats are made to be equal. ...
Camilo Gallardo's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
120 views

Metronome settings for 6/8

I am playing a piece that has 6/8 as the time signature. The tempo is Allegro. I have adjusted my metronome app's setting as below (120 bpm and 6 eighth note beats per measure). Is this correct?
Sean's user avatar
  • 1,591
4 votes
7 answers
730 views

Which word can be used to describe either the beat or the subdivision?

Say I have a metronome that plays a sound on the beat and no sound on any of the subdivisions. Say my goal is to clap my hands whenever the beat sound is played AND whenever I feel the subdivision(s) ...
Pascal Bergeron's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
186 views

What is up with the beat in Bach's Goldberg Variations Aria?

The time signature of Bach's Goldberg Variations Aria is 3/4. However, when you hear interpreters like Glenn Gould playing it, it sounds almost like rubato. There are pauses that aren't in the sheet ...
Eulavo's user avatar
  • 85
0 votes
5 answers
159 views

How far can a beat be broken down?

I am thinking about making a software beat machine, and wondering how I can make the timeline adapt to where you start off with 4/4, then you realize you want to have 8th notes, then 16th notes, then ...
HareSurf's user avatar
  • 682
8 votes
2 answers
1k views

What does "gets the beat" mean?

When learning music theory, I keep hearing the terminology of, for example, a quarter note in a piece of music in 4/4 time "getting the beat". What exactly does this mean?
spacecowboy97's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
183 views

Second-to-last measure (m. 33) of Chopin Op 9 No 2

The second-to-last measure of Chopin's Op.9 No.2 has two voices(?). The very first double note (G-Eb2) on right hand, how do you tell which is that "other voice" and which one goes with the ...
GrandAdagio's user avatar
  • 1,746
1 vote
1 answer
93 views

Is there an error in this measure? (beat count in Simplified Mendelssohn Op. 19 No. 1)

I got this arrangement for beginner piano solo from free-scores website. It has two voices. As you see the time signature is "C"=4/4. In Measure 27 bass clef, one voice is a whole C note, ...
GrandAdagio's user avatar
  • 1,746
2 votes
1 answer
434 views

How to play this chord?

This is a simplified version of Schumann's Träumerei (Op.15 no.7) , toward the end. How to play the left hand chord pointed to by the red arrow? How does it differ from just the original version ...
GrandAdagio's user avatar
  • 1,746
9 votes
3 answers
776 views

Correct way to play Mozart K331 Trio Measure 11?

I just started to learn the Trio movement of Mozart's K331. It sounds really nice but is the hardest movement of this piece for me. (By the way, why are the Menuetto and the Trio often counted ...
GrandAdagio's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
1k views

Am I hearing overtones or beats? is it normal to hear them?

I started learning piano not so long ago and there is something that's confusing me a lot: when I play some notes at the same time (chords or two notes) sometimes I hear a second higher vibrating ...
Pedro Brost's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
145 views

In these measures of Mozart K331, should the hand without grace notes start with the grace notes or the main notes by the other hand?

See image: Is the orange or the green time correspondence the correct way to play? (Does the hand without grace notes begin to play at the same time as the grace notes, or the main notes, by the other ...
GrandAdagio's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
373 views

How do the notes on the treble and bass staves here correspond to each other? (Mozart K331 Mvmt 1 Var. V Measure 100)

In this measure 100 of the Variation V of Mozart's K.331, I'm trying to get it right which note on the treble staff is played at the same moment as which note on the bass staff. In the image I drew ...
GrandAdagio's user avatar
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7 votes
8 answers
1k views

Where do metrical accents come from?

I'm still trying to wrap my head around time signatures, but I think I'm stuck on where these metrical accents come from. For example, in 4/4, we say the main beats are Strong-Weak-Less Strong-Weak. ...
Cole's user avatar
  • 71
5 votes
3 answers
840 views

Is there a name for the first beat in a piece (not including the anacrusis)?

I am looking for a specific, distinct name for the first beat in the first bar. The anacrusis or pickup measure should not be considered. Context This is for a label in a software for playback-based ...
Marcel's user avatar
  • 325
3 votes
1 answer
194 views

Piano oscillation on a single string

Why is that when the hammer hits only one string on the piano, there is an oscillation and not a solid note throughout. I hear it like a wave of sound, not an absolute pitch. It doesn’t happen on ...
Dan's user avatar
  • 31
1 vote
2 answers
132 views

Out of phase with pulse

It is moderately easy for me to match the tempo of the pulse of music with my movement (e.g. clapping, instrument, dance). However, I find it immensely difficult to lock into phase of that pulse. What ...
gschenk's user avatar
  • 113
7 votes
2 answers
280 views

Help with note grouping in 6/4 time

I'm currently preparing music for a rehearsal and recording session, and I want my charts to be easy and clear to read without any problems. I have a tune in 6/4 and am a little unsure of what looks ...
Jazzer Caster's user avatar
5 votes
6 answers
1k views

Question about beats and their inheritance of accents on the rhythm

I see that I've created a lot of confusion with my original question, so I have decided to send the author of "How to read Music in 30 Days, English 2022 Ed." a detailed question that should ...
iwab's user avatar
  • 159
6 votes
5 answers
1k views

Can I still use the staff notes that exceed the number of beats?

May I ask if the measure has a certain number of beats, can I still use notes in that measure that exceed the number of beats? Look at the picture below:
go poke's user avatar
  • 69
1 vote
2 answers
430 views

Confusion about BPM and time signature [duplicate]

First of all, is the beat in BPM based on the quarter note or the fundamental beat of each time signature? For example, if it's 3/2 time and it's 80 BPM, does the half note go in 80 times in a minute? ...
guss2222's user avatar
  • 149
2 votes
0 answers
92 views

What's that mystery beat that's present in Spanish and Middle Eastern music? [closed]

Believe it or not, I've been trying to find the name of this specific beat since I was 7 or 8 years old. Here are some examples of it:
LauraBurmr's user avatar
3 votes
6 answers
833 views

How do "dotted-crotchet = one beat" teachers address "irregular compound" meters (e.g., 5/8)?

"Ordinary" Compound Meter I was taught that 6/8 time, for example, meant "six beats in a measure; the eighth note (quaver) gets one beat." Similarly, 9/8 would be "nine beats ...
Aaron's user avatar
  • 92.1k
3 votes
3 answers
1k views

On-beats vs off-beats in guitar

Below is my definition of on-beats and off-beats in the context of guitar playing. On-Beat In a 4/4 time signature, beats 1,2,3,4 are on-beats. If we were to use the 1 E & A counting system to ...
Dante's user avatar
  • 207
1 vote
3 answers
334 views

Bottom number on a time signature [duplicate]

My understanding of the bottom number in a time signature is that this is how many beats there are in a whole note. So if the bottom number is 4, a whole note gets 4 beats. If the bottom number is 2 a ...
7321's user avatar
  • 11
3 votes
1 answer
105 views

Why can't velocity information be extracted from this kick drum loop?

I wanted to apply the groove of a downloaded kick drum loop to my own kick sound. The plan was to convert the loop’s audio, which happened to be in stereo, to MIDI and then simply hot swap the ...
286642's user avatar
  • 1,396
2 votes
4 answers
416 views

How can I make my DAW songs really groove? [closed]

For context: I make rock music in Ableton, and I use Ableton’s Drum Rack to quickly program drum beats (for reference, think “Heart of Glass” by Blondie or “Little Red Corvette" and "When ...
286642's user avatar
  • 1,396
8 votes
4 answers
678 views

Drumming: Where do backbeats/snares go in 2/2 time

In the vast majority of modern popular 4/4 music involving drum kits (jazz, hip hop, rock, country, etc.) the snare hits (or equivalent 'pat' noise) occur on the backbeats (2 and 4). Of course, like ...
Nigel's user avatar
  • 250
0 votes
1 answer
68 views

Can we give each weak beat a weak degree from strong and weak beats notation?

I've seen the strong and weak beats written S-W-s-w in 4/4 time. This means strongest - weak - strong - the weakest. The distinction between the strengths of weak beats seems to be characteristic of ...
ististyle's user avatar
  • 185
2 votes
2 answers
68 views

How do I interpret note lengths in this song? [duplicate]

I've only just recently begun learning the basics of time signatures and counting beats, and I'm having trouble applying what I've learned to real sheet music. Consider the second measure in this ...
Joa's user avatar
  • 191
8 votes
4 answers
2k views

Gnossiennes and Free Time

I'm looking at Erik Satie's Gnossiennes, specifically Nos. 1-3, but for simplicity let's just consider Gnossienne No. 1. Most editions (see IMSLP) are engraved without a time signature nor with any ...
Elements In Space's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
60 views

Can someone help me find this audio? [closed]

I found this really cool song but I’m unable to find it anywhere and Shazam is giving me the wrong result. I was hoping someone may recognize it. This is the link to the video since it’s on Instagram: ...
BellaXaviar's user avatar
8 votes
5 answers
885 views

How are beats divided in simple/compound/odd meters supposed to sound different?

This is a question somewhat difficult to explain, in music theory it is said that simple, compound and odd meters subdivide into beats that are grouped into 2s for simple, 3s for compound and 2s 3s or ...
Flonne's user avatar
  • 153
8 votes
2 answers
548 views

How to annotate staff with beat numbers in Lilypond?

I would like to annotate a RhythmicStaff with Beat Numbers - as in the following picture: Perhaps, one could use the '_' character after a note to add numbers connected to a note at the beginning of ...
saraf's user avatar
  • 535
2 votes
2 answers
882 views

At what BPM (Beats per Minute; quarter note = beat) will we hear the top note as F4?

My question comes from MUS 204: At what BPM (Beats per Minute; quarter note = beat) will we hear the top note as F4? Now, I understand this polyrhythm would generate a perfect fourth when sped up to ...
Renée's user avatar
  • 127
1 vote
2 answers
252 views

can someone explain me how many beats in my notation in the photo?

I'm confused about notation in my music sheet for my training classical guitar, in this photo there are 2 beats notation (orange circle) but the time signature is 3/4, can someone explain me how many ...
Zefanya Simijaya's user avatar
-2 votes
1 answer
178 views

What this is, and how can it be put into Sibelius?

If you look at the bass staff, there is one more 16th note than there should be on a 4/4 time signature. Can someone explain this to me? And what is the number of top of the barline?
John Lee's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
199 views

BPM, beat durations vs frequency

I understand that 60 BPM means 60 Beats Per Minute. And if the "BPM beat note" is a quarter note, it means a quarter note has the duration of 1 second (each quarter note should be held 1 ...
MusicRookie's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
48 views

How should I count beats while playing alternating bass on piano?

While playing alternating bass is it improper to count the I and V as eighth notes, i.e. (I-strum-V-strum-I-strum-V-strum) where the strum would be the 'and' of the beat? Would this be incorrect ...
Pabble Goobs's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
135 views

What are common / usual timings for music

I'm a programmer and I'm developing some software for use in combination with music. Part of the software will include a sequencer that can show / start certain tasks that match the music's tempo. I ...
Ruben's user avatar
  • 133
4 votes
1 answer
196 views

what difference beat value makes in time signature [duplicate]

I am trying to understand the intuition behind the time signature. My confusion is as below : My first confusion was why in general every metronome beat is considered a quarter beat, but what I ...
MusicMan's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
566 views

what is a beat histogram and how is it different from spectrograms?

I am learning about audio signals for analytical purposes. I came across beat histograms and spectrograms. I understand that a spectrogram is all about frequency and time but I am confused about beat ...
developer101's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

Converting BPM From 12/8 [duplicate]

I have a new piece of music, and it has a part where it is 12/8 with dotted quarter notes being at 128 bpm. I was wondering what the quarter note tempo would be. And one last thing would it be ...
Jakub's user avatar
  • 9
3 votes
4 answers
226 views

Common Time Question

I am composing a second species counterpoint in 4/4. The cantus firmus is on the bottom and consists of all quarter notes. The melody I have to compose will consist of all eighth notes. My question is ...
Dylan Cataldo's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
157 views

Name and structure of staggering beat in Ramones' "Merry Christmas"

Towards the end of The Ramones' "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight)", the beat takes on a staggering quality when Joey sings "don't want to" in the chorus. In the following ...
outis's user avatar
  • 153
2 votes
1 answer
81 views

Writing syncopes in harmonic grids

I am learning how to write a harmonic grid and I wondered how to write a syncope? I thought about doing: If that makes sense? Is it the standard notation?
Revolucion for Monica's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
69 views

Chair audition music tempo

So I tied with another trumpet player for first chair and our director gave us a piece of music to learn to have a face off. This may seem like a dumb question. The tempo is written as Dotted half ...
Michael Johnson's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
214 views

Which specific terms could be used to search for music without beats / percussions / drums?

From what I can gather, most music besides some specific genres is based on top of a background beat layer. I happen to be one of the (apparently) few people with a strong dislike of any kind of ...
jwav's user avatar
  • 101
0 votes
1 answer
162 views

When To Register With Peforming Rights Organization, such as PRS or BMI?

I am a newbie freelance musician. I make music of various genres but my main work will be in ambient type music I will be uploading on my own Youtube page and Spotify. I will also be making a range of ...
Lewis Hanson's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
592 views

What meter is it when the accented beat is the fourth beat out of six? (one-two-three-FOUR-five-six)

In this song when the drum comes in, the accented pulse is the 4th beat out of 6 in a measure. 6/8 has the accented beats on the 1st and 4th beat, but there is no accent on the 1st beat in this song. ...
Chris's user avatar
  • 3