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Old 12-17-2008, 05:36 PM   #17
Riding The Short Bus
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Join Date: Jul 2005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GoodVibration View Post
Hello everyone,

i just joined this site and im looking for other sites like this to talk to other musicians to converse on topics relating to theory mainly... I listen to all types of music and plan on majoring in music. I have a little less than fundamental foundation of theory but i am reading anythin i can get my hands on and trying to learn sight reading by sept of 09. SO thats my goal, right now im in a music theory class. If someone could explain time signatures for me id appreciate it, im having trouble distinguishes downbeats and upbeats.. I understand the notation symbols as far as the top number indicates how many beats occupy a measure and the bottom number indicates what the notes duration is. BUt i need help understanding beats, measure, tempo, meters and esp. syncopation.... I need a good book or something because when i use the books that come with cds i can never distinguish the diferrence between beats and measures. To me most phrases could all be played in 4/4... Just at different tempos... ANyways thanks if any help... And is it just me or are there on 2 topics posted in this forum?? Is this site new?
I can give a quick run at explaining the difference. 4/4 means there are 4 quarter notes in the measure. the top number is how many and the bottom is what note. You said you already had that. A quarter note can be at any tempo, tempo doesn't affect the note at all. just how fast it is played. each quarter note has 2 eight notes and 4 sixteenth notes. so 4/4 is the same as 8/8 is the same as 16/16. so 5/4 means there are 5 quater notes. count being 1 2 3 4 5 where 4/4 is 1 2 3 4. No matter how fast or slow you play them, 5/4 still has one more quarter note, so even if you ccan play it to fit in with 4/4 it is still a different measure. You must understand a measure is determined by the number of notes, not how fast the tempo is.

bassically downbeats are on the quarter note beat. so if you have 4/4 broken into eight notes 1+2+3+4+ the numbers are going to be your downbeats and the + your up beats.

Hope that helps. I would write more but i have to go to work. Good luck.

I would stay after class and talk to your music theory teacher and ask him/her all of this. It is pretty simple when you get it down.
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