Det_Nosnip
10-18-2005, 03:07 AM
So I was pondering the nature of swing time earlier, and I came up with a slightly different way of viewing the whole situation. I was thinking about what swinging really meant as far as the whole scheme of things...what exactly it is that you're manipulating. The difference between swung time and regular time is that in swung time, the notes are "rounder," right? Spread further apart. Rather than 8th notes, they are triplets. Now....here's where things get a little abstract. When you say that they are further apart....what exactly are they further apart FROM? The obvious answer would be "straight time." However...from what pulse?
In warping the distance between notes, you create an artificial pulse that lands at a given tempo. This can result from one of two different alterations: a faster tempo is slowed down (by increasing the distance), OR a slower tempo is effectively sped up (by DECREASING the distance). Although the beats are landing in roughly the same spot, you can have two very different feels (in fact, you can have MILLIONS, really....but let's keep it simple for now). What these different types of warping result in are what I would call Forward motion, or Backwards motion.
What I call forward motion I suppose would normally be termed "ahead of the beat." This is a very energetic, agitated, aggressive feel, and works well in heavy music. I think that alot of people who play heavy music naturally play this way...however, because it is a natural thing and not something that they (or their bandmates) may be aware of, it often results in time fluctuations...resulting in the ever common complaint that the drummer is "rushing."
What I call "backwards" motion would normally be called "behind the beat." This feel is much more laid back, however it can also be extremely heavy, as classically applied in some of the old 70's heavy funk bands ala Parliament, etc. In what some would consider an unexpected connection, I've also heard this feel used by the doom/death metal band, Hypocrisy (the song I'm referring to is "Eraser.")
I've also heard combinations of the two feels. One feel that I nicknamed the "drunk" feel is common in alot of swung blues and blues shuffles, especially the Texas Blues (think: SRV). The best way that I can describe it is a backwards motion on the downbeats (1 & 3) combined with a forward motion on the backbeats (2 & 4). The effect is literally...well, it feels DRUNK. Another classic example of this feel is "Roadhouse Blues" by the Doors...which the band pulled off stunningly, no doubt, by actually playing it intoxicated. :lol: (to be honest, I don't know about the group as a whole....Morrison would definitely be tanked when performing it, though).
I've tried experimenting with this groove style and kind of come up with my own feel that I would describe as intensely agitated and startling. I use it on an odd meter (7/16) track, and essentially what I'm doing is sinking deep into beat 1, and snapping quickly up for the "backbeats" (landing on beat 5). The effect is that the music feels like it's dragging you down...and then kicking you back up, HARD. :lol:
Anyways, this is just a concept that I've been experimenting with and thinking upon lately, so I thought I'd share my thoughts with you guys. I'll try and get some video examples recorded later this week, although I'm a bit on the busy side unfortunately, so for now...something to think about. :)
In warping the distance between notes, you create an artificial pulse that lands at a given tempo. This can result from one of two different alterations: a faster tempo is slowed down (by increasing the distance), OR a slower tempo is effectively sped up (by DECREASING the distance). Although the beats are landing in roughly the same spot, you can have two very different feels (in fact, you can have MILLIONS, really....but let's keep it simple for now). What these different types of warping result in are what I would call Forward motion, or Backwards motion.
What I call forward motion I suppose would normally be termed "ahead of the beat." This is a very energetic, agitated, aggressive feel, and works well in heavy music. I think that alot of people who play heavy music naturally play this way...however, because it is a natural thing and not something that they (or their bandmates) may be aware of, it often results in time fluctuations...resulting in the ever common complaint that the drummer is "rushing."
What I call "backwards" motion would normally be called "behind the beat." This feel is much more laid back, however it can also be extremely heavy, as classically applied in some of the old 70's heavy funk bands ala Parliament, etc. In what some would consider an unexpected connection, I've also heard this feel used by the doom/death metal band, Hypocrisy (the song I'm referring to is "Eraser.")
I've also heard combinations of the two feels. One feel that I nicknamed the "drunk" feel is common in alot of swung blues and blues shuffles, especially the Texas Blues (think: SRV). The best way that I can describe it is a backwards motion on the downbeats (1 & 3) combined with a forward motion on the backbeats (2 & 4). The effect is literally...well, it feels DRUNK. Another classic example of this feel is "Roadhouse Blues" by the Doors...which the band pulled off stunningly, no doubt, by actually playing it intoxicated. :lol: (to be honest, I don't know about the group as a whole....Morrison would definitely be tanked when performing it, though).
I've tried experimenting with this groove style and kind of come up with my own feel that I would describe as intensely agitated and startling. I use it on an odd meter (7/16) track, and essentially what I'm doing is sinking deep into beat 1, and snapping quickly up for the "backbeats" (landing on beat 5). The effect is that the music feels like it's dragging you down...and then kicking you back up, HARD. :lol:
Anyways, this is just a concept that I've been experimenting with and thinking upon lately, so I thought I'd share my thoughts with you guys. I'll try and get some video examples recorded later this week, although I'm a bit on the busy side unfortunately, so for now...something to think about. :)