JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Explain 3/4 time, please

Will someone please explain the beat of 3/4 time? Break it down to the bones because I am musically challenged.

Hello Tricia,
So, the top number is "beats to a measure" so in 3/4 time, there are three beats to a measure. The bottom number means that a quarter note gets one beat. So, in 3/4 time, there are three beats in a measure and a quarter note gets one beat.

You count this as one, two, three....one, two, three....one, two three. Think of a waltz which is always in 3/4 time. Can you see the dancers going round and round in that 1, 2, 3....1, 2, 3.... rhythm?

Let's think of a song in 3/4 time, okay? Do you know the wedding song that goes, "Oh, how we danced on the night we were wed?" The beats go like "Oh, 2, 3...1, how we danced 2, 3, 1 on the night 2, 3, 1, we were wed 2, 3, 1, 2 ,3."

Does that help? Can you think of any other songs in 3/4 time?

Hey, Tricia,
What kind of music do you listen to? Name a couple favorite artists. Sureley we can find an example there that will help

It's a waltz, Tricia.

Best way I can think to describe it outside dancing terms--and I may not get it right at all--is envision a dog with one foreleg broken. He (or she) has 4 legs, but can only use 3 of them. What does the dog sound like when he/she walks? (No, not the yipping and moaning.) It comes across as a kind of limp: THUMP-thump-thump, THUMP-thump-thump. A dog whose foreleg has been broken for a while will be able to get around pretty fast with this gait (as will dancers).

This help any? Missed you at Pineyfest.

Joe

If you want to hear a good example of 3/4 time, listen to "We Can Work it Out" by the Beatles. In the section that begins, "Life is very short . . ." the time changes briefly to 3/4 starting on the word "fighting."

I'm trying to get a "feel" for the lyric I'm trying to write. I need it to be 3/4 time. I have a file but if I can have you guys explain it maybe it will make more sense. Saying it's a waltz makes it easier for me to integrate it into my feeble brain. I feel like an idiot.

Country and classical, Peter. Thanks.

Thanks, Steve. I'll go listen now.

Anne Murray: Could I have this dance? is a perfect waltz.

If you're trying to set your own lyric, get the thumpity thump going right away...Try this little mantra set to 3/4 time

I will walk
to the end
just to see
you my friend

repeat that a few times and your thinking in 3/4.

Tricia,
Just count one, two, three...one, two, three with the accent on "one" and you will feel the rhythm. ONE, two, three, ONE, two, three, ONE, two, three. Keep all the numbers evenly spaced rhythmically. They all last the same amount of time.

For a more technical explanation, try this link:
http://www.murraystate.edu/qacd/cfac/music/MUS109e/intro/chapter_index.htm
This an interactive college text that looks to be both informative and user friendly.

The kid in me thought of the Merry-Go-Round ride I'm sure you went on as a kid.

Daaaa da da da daaaa . da da da da da da da da daaaaaaaaaa etc.
1,2,3 1 2 3 1,2,3.1,2, 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1,2,3.1,2,3

Watch Lawrence Welk shows, and he'll let it be known of a waltz about to be played.

The Three Stooges Waltz! Curly and all dressed up as opera singers, singing to a record. Then the plug is pulled and they are left howling! Classical waltz song, Spring something, or something Spring?

Now I'm going to have them in my head all night, trying to sleep. I'll be counting Curlies,,,,, 1,2,3, 4,5,6, 7,8,9,

6/8 time too.
Can't get the above song out of my head,,,so I can't think of a 6/8 song,,,,but maybe it's just twice as fast. ???

Happy Waltz.
Here's three Waltz songs on the link below that Buddy and I wrote a while back.
"Where Does The Love Go", "Cold Cold Kitchen", and "The Minute"
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=328133

I think I'm closer now to the beat. I can read most of it to the music. Ohhhhhhh, I'm pitiful. Thanks, guys. I can do 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3........night, all!

Good night and good luck.
Let us know how it goes.

I can't say much for time sigs and usually just place a rythmn I think up around a given melody.
From practicing to rythmns more, my songs seem to go something like da da da - da.
I hesitate to the 4th beat.
I can lay a hook into a pocket that way and have listened to a lot of ska and power pop bands that do that.
But I used to like rythmns that sped up and slowed down a lot, and also in odd intervals.
Still do, but I don't think others can follow that too well.
But I am trying to find out about these time sigs myself.

Matt

Matt,
It sounds like you may be using a syncopated beat. "The shifting of the accent to a weak beat or to an off beat is known as syncopation. " (taken from http://www.lovemusiclovedance.com/syncopat.htm

To answer John D's question above, 6/8 time is the use of six (6) 8th-notes per measure so you'd have one-and two-and three-and one-and two-and three-and

If you have questions about meter or signature, the murray state link I offered earlier appears to be an excellent resource.

Hope this helps.

Pete:

I knew there was a catch.
Thanks for that info!

I just edited a post to where I called you Scott.
Your picture looks like a guy I know named Scott.

Just flew in my head that way.

Matt

I'm fair sure Lucille is a 3/4 time waltz ... You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille...

cheers

No such thing as a stupid question Trisha.

All this 3/4 time.....does anyone feel like dancing?

Hi Tricia. Most modern songs are 4/4 time Ie 1234, 1234, 1234, 1234. the accent is always on the first beat ONE two three four, ONE two three four,
Example: Well she was just seventeen. and you know what I mean.

Whereas 3/4 time is 123, 123, 123, 123 as in a waltz. The accent is still always on the first beat ONE two three ONE two three.
Example: Pat a cake pat a cake bakers man.

These are very basic time sigs it does get more complicated and even more difficult when some songs change time sigs midway but that is another lesson.

Wow! Thanks, everyone. I had that in my head until I finally fell asleep last night. LOL! You guys should teach me music theory.

While that part does briefly go into 3/4-like feel Steve, it's probably not a great example of 3/4. The reason is, it's actually triplet quarter-notes in 4/4 that slow down through the 2 measures before it kicks back into the more straight ahead 4/4 feel.

Jody, I was wondering about that. It didn't feel like the true 1, 2, 3 beat. I just counted and listened to the file after I listened to THAT song.

Ok Tricia, time for a waltz around the living room. ( or the workroom, which ever the case may be ) Ready ?

ONE two three, ONE two three, ONE two three.....

Ouch, don't step on my toes ! You'll get there mate.

cheers, niteshift

Thanks, Nite. Maybe I will, after all!

Trica, when I was in the second grade, I was selected to play the base drum to keep the Elementary school band together and the band instructor, who had a degree in percussion, used to tell me this: "BOOM TICK TICK BOOM TICK TICK". The best way to get it "into your bones" is to listen to a waltz and then sing "BOOM TICK TICK" as you listen. Everyone should write at least one good waltz because there are actually a shortage of them in dance music. i would suggest singing or listening to Laura's Theme from Dr. Zhivago.

That's a good one to listen to, Joe. Thanks! I'll do that later today.

Cat Stevens: Morning Has Broken.

Hey Tricia:

3/4 time is how I get through the afternoon. Double time in the morning. I know that doesn't add up but the remainder disappears at night when I'm asleep.

Hope that helps

Scott

Lionel Ritchie's "Three Times a Lady" is in 3/4.

Trisha, I actually just corrected myself. I hadn't listened to the song in a while and I realized what it truly was. If you look back at my post I explain that it is still 4/4 time, but with triplet quarter-notes. It's 2 measures of that and it really isn't 3/4 at all. It is a very clever break up of the rhythm to get that feel though. But again, it isn't 3/4.

Hi Tricia,

Good luck with your waltz. It is probably the most graceful dance, when done correctly, I know. I prefer slow waltzes with lots of spins, dips etc. Are you ready Lynne?

The songs in these posts are great reference points.
I tend to get so entrenched in the melody, that sometimes the rythmn in a song evades me.
Especially acts like Lionel Ritchie and The Commodores.

But it's that rythmn that pulled their songs through.

Matt

Gotta love Cat Stephens, Gary. I don't think he ever wrote a bad song.

Hi, Jake. Three Times A Lady was one of my favorite slow dancing songs way back when. Hadn't thought of it being 3/4 time till now. Thanks.

Jody, I think alot of their songs are a combo of different tempos and beats. Talk about ahead of their time on production-nearly every single Beatle song has something unique about it. Not many bands can say that. They were always interesting-even now when I listen, I'm able to "hear" something new. It's really amazing, isn't it?

Incidentally, listening to that particular Beatle song I was counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in the verses. Was I counting wrong??

John, I'll be honest. I'm about waltzed out today. Maybe I'll get back into it tomorrow evening. I must have listened to that file at least 200 times.

I'm with you, Matt. A melody is ALWAYS the first thing to grab me about a song. Then, the lyrics. There are some songs I could care less about what they say because I've got the tune stuck in my head.

Matt,
I know what you mean about getting wrapped up in a song. For me it's more the lyric than the melody, but I feel your pain.
I too am learing the importance of variations in rythmn. Up 'til now, seems like everything I do is in 4/4 time.

I figure if I want to produce music that people will dance to (line dancing I imagine), I need to compose around dance steps...Two-Step, Waltz, cha-cha... so I really need to pay closer attention to how the beat influences the mood.

I'm hoping it will keep my music from falling into a rut.

I just thought of another one in 3/4 time-Old Rugged Cross. Now, look what ya'll have done!

Tricia

The song on the Sound of Music Eidlewiess (pronouced aidelveiss) is a waltz. i noticed at my wedding, the Waltzes count, left the "1" as just a slightly longer hold than the"2"or"3" It is a lovely dance. but alas i am too redneck to truely enjoy it. Can you imagine me at my own wedding screaming "PLAY SOME SKYNYRD MAN!" he he he\\

good luck.

-steve

Steve, truly, I'd never have picked you for a redneck. I would believe you like rock music, though. How old are you and Rachal, if you don't mind me being nosey?

Tricia, one time I got a request to do House of the Rising sun which is 6/8 time. the new drummer didn't know what 6/8 time was and played the whole song in 4/4. It was second worst singing experience in my life. (the worst was singing the Gambler at double time). The song went on for 4 minutes and he never figured it out. It was torture. In 6/8 time you count 6 beats per measure and it is similar to a waltz 123 456 / 123 456 accentuate the 1 and 4.

Oh, dear. Joe, I have alot to learn, don't I? I see what you mean about that song. I can hear it in my head with all those accents on the words that correspond with the 1 and 4's. Ya'll keep the lessons going. I'm learning, believe it or not.

just think waltz baby...waltz...put one one on and listen and it will all make sense...Tennessee Waltz, etc

Tricia, the verse is in 4/4 and so is the Life is Very Short. If you were singing, "Life is very short", and coming up with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, with Short on the 5, Short is actually on 1 of the next measure.

Jake

Jake, are the Beatles PURPOSELY trying to confuse me?? I see what you're saying, though. Now, I know that I'm musically challenged and I've got NO rhythm in my bones. That's so sad because I love music.

I've heard a rumor that they intentionally meant to confuse you on that one. Actually Tricia, to confuse you even more, the "Short" is on the half note before the next measure.

jw

Here is a link:
http://www.songramp.com/mod/mps/viewtrack.php?trackid=58387
It starts off in 3/4 time. Shifts to 4/4, then back to 3/4.
One of the cleverest pieces i have heard in a long time.
I was totally impressed.
Graham