Question:
Hi all.
In my Music Theory text in relation to Bars it says that the first beat is felt to be a little stronger than the rest. Does this have any relation to playing the accompaniments softer than the (I don't even know what to call it. ) rest?
Answer:
I'm not sure what you're asking exactly, but beat one is the most important beat in a measure.
That said, part of the fun with music is messing with that to create the feeling that beat one isn't there anymore.
Answer:
lol.
Ok lets take it apart. When they say that beat one is the strongest beat what do you do with it when playing a peice of music? Does that have anything to do with dynamic range?
Answer:
You accent the first beat by playing it slightly louder, generally.
Answer:
Ok. So in something like a Walts (In E Minor) the note would be played louder and less emphasis would be placed on the rest of the notes for each bar?
Answer:
Basically, yes. It's not really something you need to worry about. You will most likely naturally accent the first beat without even thinking about it.
Answer:
Originally Posted by bobthecockroach Basically, yes. It's not really something you need to worry about. You will most likely naturally accent the first beat without even thinking about it.
Exactly.
In fact, proper pulsing of the basic beat of a song usually comes out better when you don't think about it.
Answer:
Naturally you say? I'll try not to think about it!
I was not doing that at all (did not relate what I did in Theory to what I do in practical class, at least not all of it) and my teacher just pointed out that I need to play the accompaniment softer. When he plays it sounds so different from mine but I could not figure out what he was doing differently. I just thought since he has soooo much more experience than me that was it. Now I know.
I've been playing realy softly. Can you tell me if there is a technique to playing louder?
Answer:
Originally Posted by Thamar Naturally you say? I'll try not to think about it!
Well, it's not so much "not thinking about it" as "not stressing out over it."
You have to "think about it" in the sense that you have to know about it.
If you just plod along not paying attention to the time sig, you'll ignore it.
You need to be aware of the basic pulse of the music, but not focus on it.
The more you focus on it, the more contrived it will be and the less clear.
You need to develop, through practice, a method for pulsing music fluidly.
It won't come easily, but once it does come, it'll make pulsing much easier.
You don't want to think "LOUD soft soft LOUD soft soft," but "Oh, a waltz!"
I was not doing that at all (did not relate what I did in Theory to what I do in practical class, at least not all of it) and my teacher just pointed out that I need to play the accompaniment softer. When he plays it sounds so different from mine but I could not figure out what he was doing differently. I just thought since he has soooo much more experience than me that was it. Now I know.
I've been playing realy softly. Can you tell me if there is a technique to playing louder?
What instrument are you playing? If it's piano, I can help a lot. If not...
... the best advice I can offer is not to try to get volume with brute force.
Answer:
Thanks. Practice seems to be the key.....and even more importantly practicing the right way and the correct thing too.
I play Classical Guitar.
Answer:
Try engaging other parts of your body in your efforts to get the pulsing right. Sway back and forth or tap your feet or something. When you get to the downbeat, always go in one particular direction or make some extra motion that you don't do on the other beats. Just this extra motion will convince your brain that there's something different about the downbeat, and you should begin to naturally incorporate that "something different" into your playing dynamics.
Answer:
OK then. Thanks.
Music is a whole new world. There is a lot going on all at once! Multitasking is the word, and coodination.
Just recently I started tapping my feet. Before it used to through me off. I could not hold the guitar on my lap, figure out where to put my left figures, use my right hand on the strings, read the notes and play in time all at once! I'm begining to enjoy it though. This "baby" is begining to crawl.
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I'm a little lost with all those lables on a classical piece. There seems to be
A a title,
B the musician,
C the speed or the mood
Am I correct, if not can someone explain this please?
Answer:
Originally Posted by Thamar I'm a little lost with all those lables on a classical piece. There seems to be
A a title,
B the musician,
C the speed or the mood
Am I correct, if not can someone explain this please?
Ummm... yes?
I'm not really sure what the question is.
You'll find all kinds of useful information on most sheet music, any genre.
Title, composer, and tempo indications are among some of the more common markings in printed music.
Answer:
I see. So all of that is NORMAL. I guess I better get used to it. Thanks.