2/4 3/4 and 4/4 timing

Bill Myrick · From: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)

Keep in mind I'm just an old redneck man with no knowledge of musical terms what so ever. Cannot read music, etc etc what playing I do is very strictly by ear and my timing (which is tolerable) is natural by nature. I have a reasonable understanding of what is considered 4/4 timing and what it means and how to count it off such as 3-4-1-2 ---2 pick up notes and we're gone.
2/4 timing is another thing. I'm not clear as to how to tell the differance from 4/4 . A person told me most of Waylon Jennings songs are 2/4 . A little dicussion on down to earth terms would be appreciated. thanks.

ray qualls · From: Baxter Springs, Kansas (deceased)

Bill, 2/4 and 4/4 count is the same. It that the bass plays 4 notes on a 4/4 and 2 notes on a 2/4. I can't remember how the drummer plays a Waylon beat as I'm not a drummer but seems like a 2/8 beat maybe?Ray
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Ray Qualls
Member(KSGA)
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Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Is this a lost art i wonder?Many moons ago before western swing and music died out i was playing in a large western swing band.Kicking a song off 2/4 or 4/4 the lead man would say one.Then the drummer hit the snare on 2 and we came in on six part harmoney.
And to top it off no sound man.Maybe thats why our volume balance was so great.
As a good friend of mine who later played the opry with many opry artists used to say.Back in those days you either picked it or packed it. Smile

LJ Eiffert · From: California, USA

Hello Bill Myrick,Is your band 3 members or 4 or more? Than I'll beable to tell you what to do about your timing or counts of 2/4 - 4/4- 3/4- 1/2 time / back beat waltz and maybe 6/8 if I don't go over board! Whoa!

Leo J.Eiffert,J. & Pigeons Band,Tommy Gobel/Mike Torrence & Ron Epperson.

Guy Cundell · From: More idle ramblings from South Australia

OK, Bill. I will give a try.

Music usually has a pulse that is divided into subdivisions of bars, the start of which is marked by a strong beat (the downbeat).

2/4 bar is Strong weak (eg marches)
3/4 bar is Strong weak weak
4/4 bar is Strong weak strongish weak (ie. beat 3 is stronger that beats 2 and 4 but weaker than beat 1.) In pop, rock and country, beats 2 and 4, (the back beats) are usually (often...) marked by the snare drum.

A complicating factor is that you can have the bass playing 2 even notes to the bar (indicating 2/4) while the tune is actually in 4/4. The drums may give an indication of this with the snare sounding on beats 2 and 4, in between the bass notes. In this case the bass is "in 2" while the rest of the band is "in 4"

In swing it is common practice to have the bass player play the head in 2 and then swap to a walking line of 4 1/4 notes to the bar.

I hope this helps.

Bryan Daste · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Yes...it's a "feel" thing. You can probably count a 2/4 song in 4/4 with no problem, but if the accents are on every other beat, it's probably 2/4. This will probably not be an issue unless you're reading from sheet music or dealing with some kind of MIDI setup that has the bars numbered in 2/4.

I'm not sure if this covers 2/4 vs. 4/4, but here's a link to a good audio podcast about time signatures:

http://blog.pandora.com/archives/podcast/2007/09/meters_time_sig.html

Bill Myrick · From: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)

Very interesting. On a 3/4 or waltz time song would you count it off the same method as 4/4 for example what if you were going to use two pick up notes in the intro--- 2-3-1 ?

LJ Eiffert · From: California, USA

Check the drummer's right hand on the count and after that on the hit hat. The bass drum & snare are right and left and the hit hat is always with both of them in timing. now,your bass guitar or guitar-R-lead or steel guitar or paino can't get out of time unless somebody rushing or over playing. Leo J.Eiffert,Jr. Musician of the above.

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