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Re: Reading odd meters

Author: Robert Moody  Date:   2005-01-24 22:12 I want to reply instantly with "Simple" and an explanation, but I realize that it can be confusing to some so I hope this helps along with the other responses I'm sure you will get. As long as you understand clearly the relationships between eighth, sixteenths and dotted notes, you should do fine. Check this out: Read these each over and over with an emphasis on the bold number: 1-2-1-2-3 and this 1-2-3-1-2. Be steady in the pace of your counting. In these patterns, you are counting aloud the eight notes. In these odd meters like this, there is usually an emphasis, just like when you are counting here, on the beginning of the parts that are grouped together. For instance, in the 5/8 meters, the composer will group two beats of different lengths in one measure: short-long or long-short (most of the time). Try this. Tap these beats steadily as you say the numbers aloud like above: ||: 1-2-1-2-3 | 1-2-1-2-3 | 1-2-1-2-3 :|| That would be a 5/8 pattern of eighth-notes with a short-long feel to the measure. The first beat in the measure feels odd compared to the second beat. The measures can be the opposite as well: ||: 1-2-3-1-2 | 1-2-3-1-2 | 1-2-3-1-2 :|| Fun is when they mix them up: ||: 1-2-3-1-2 | 1-2-1-2-3 | 1-2-3-1-2 :|| 7/8 merely adds another little chunk to deal with. Now we will have three beats in a measure, usually two shorts and a long grouped in any order. For example: 1-2-1-2-1-2-3 And these can be grouped in any order like that or this: ||: 1-2-1-2-3-1-2 :|| or this ||: 1-2-3-1-2-1-2 :|| If you can visualize notes in a measure better, ||: 1-2-3-1-2-1-2 :|| would be like ||: dotted-quarter - quarter - quarter :||, for example. The key to getting the feel for these meters is to keep the tapping/eighth-notes steady and placing emphasis on the ones as bolded. As for your conductor, he/she will probably conduct normal 2 and 3 patterns but drag out one of the beats in the pattern...hesitating on the long one. Once you get the gist of it, you can do two things to help yourself: conduct (the way your director does) and sing the part when you're by yourself and put marks above the beats in the measure if they are changing back and forth. I use a single downward mark for the short beats (two eighth-note value) and a triangle for the beats with three eighth-note values in them whether it be three eighths beamed together or a dotted-quarter, etc. Hope this helps. I'm sure someone will quickly point you to a webpage with graphics and sounds, etc. that will make it all perfectly clear. I just felt like explaining it here. Take Care, Robert Moody http://www.musix4me.com Free Clarinet Lessons and Digital Library! Post Edited (2005-01-24 22:23)

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Re: Reading odd meters

Author: LeWhite  Date:   2005-01-25 06:56 I use "Bloody Difficult" for 5/8, but this way, it never is. __________________ Don't hate me because I play Leblanc! Buffet

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Re: Reading odd meters

Author: LeWhite  Date:   2005-02-21 04:00 Correct. __________________ Don't hate me because I play Leblanc! Buffet

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