Re: Polymeter - Polyrhythm - Changing Meter

["Mark Showalter" <folkstone57@operamail.com>]

>
> rick's approach is right, since it makes things easier to read by
> putting strong beats at its place.

Sorry but what was rick's approach again?

 making reading easier is the first
> goal when choosing "the" correct meter. basically, you can't choose a
> meter with ternary(?) subdivision of the beat, we call them
> "compuesto", to substitute a binary subdivided one, called "simple".

I have no idea what you are saying here. You can choose a ternary 
subdivision, they are called triplets, just as in 3/4 you can have a 
duplet. No clue again what the opint is here.

> 2010/9/9 Rick Walker <looppool@cruzio.com>:
> >  Mark Showalter wrote:
> > "
> >
> > You can take a song like "Norweigin Wood" by the Beatles,
> > &  write it in 3/4 or 6/8 or 12/8 or even 300/8"
> >
> >
> > I see your point,  Mark, it's a really good one in most cases,
> > but I don't agree completely in this particular case.
> >
> > Here's my understanding:
> >
> > I would contend that Norwegian Wood is a Waltz,
I don't think that "Norweigan Wood" would in any way be confused for a 
Waltz....

 and, as such
> > it should be written in 3/4 (or 3/8, or for the sake of argument
> > 3/64)..........the point being that the natural subdivision
> > is in groups of three.
Yes, the measures are definitely groups of 3 beats.

> > My understanding of the distinction between 3/4 and 6/8
> > is that 6/8 naturally subdivides into two groups of 3 but
> > with the emphasis on the 6 notes figure.

Again, not necessarily, the empasis may fall only on the first beat or 
only on the fifth, just depends on the music & where "feel" or "groove" 
falls into place. 

> > If "Norwegian Wood" had a backbeat on beat 4 of the 6/8,
> > then I would agree with you and would NOT write it in 3/4
> > which does not have a similar rhythmic feel.

Again, rythm is not necessaryly set by the time sig.

> > This is what distinguishes a lot of Doo Wop tunes from
> > more traditional Waltzes:  the backbeat clearly delineates the
> > midpoint in a 6 note figure.

Not sure what you mean, could you give me a well known song as an example? 
Also, there is no "midpoint" in a 6 note figure........

> > I would contend it is wrong to write it in 12/8 or 300/8
> > or maybe wrong is the wrong word.............let's just
> > say it is unnecessarily obfuscating to do so.

Comlpetely agree, the selection of time sig is purely to aide reading the 
music.

> >
> > Your mom can write a rhythm in 3 as a hemiola in 4 but
> > that is NOT how it is felt by the listener so I would say
> > she is just goofing and trying to be a bit of a whimsical
> > devils' advocate by doing so.

If you played an entire piece in 4/4, say a waltz but used hemiola to 
create the waltz time, the listener would still hear the waltz & be 
completely unaware the piece was written in 4/4.

Sorry, but you missed what I said. My mother could play "Moon River" in 
4/4 not 3/4. She actually lenghtened the last beat of every 3/4 measure, 
so she counted it in 4. She also wouldn't know a hemiola if it bit her on 
the tukus....

> > But, seriously,  I want to be respectful in my disagreement.
> > It's tiny compared to the agreement I feel in most situations
> > with what you write.

Thanks, same here.
>

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