Q for Musicians N/A

[Richard]

I have heard there is a debate about the backbeat. My understanding is the backbeat is a double beat of the drums and some 'purists' think this is to mask any deficiency in the melody. Does this make sense? Y'all know what I'm talking about?

 

[Eamon]

I have heard there is a debate about the backbeat. My understanding is the backbeat is a double beat of the drums and some 'purists' think this is to mask any deficiency in the melody. Does this make sense? Y'all know what I'm talking about?

The backbeat is the sound heard on the second & fourth quarter note in common (4/4) time.

It can really change the song if pronounced.

a regular song can be made into a Reggie tune by doing this.

It in no way changes the actual music, so it can't, IMHO, make a bad song good, just different

 

[sierra]

backbeat=offbeat=swing, baby, swing

 

[MSmith]

Take a rock song. Heavy bass drum on 1, snare on 2 and 4, 1/8 notes on the cymbal. Rock and roll.

Now put the emphasis on 2 and 4, use a shuffle beat (especially on high-hat closed on 2 and 4), and lay off the hard beat on 1 on the bass drum. Swing!

As a drummer I know that you can do some really interesting things to a band just by changing the drum beats. The rest of the band just follows like sheep. The bass player can do the same to the drummer.

 

[Eamon]

90% of all modern pop music is in 4/4 time.

This means that when you listen to the song, you count 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4

Most of the rest are done in 3/4 time 1,2,3 - 1,2,3 Think of a Waltz for a good example of this time signature. There are also many other sigunatures, but they are rare in Pop.

Now that I am back home I can give you a good example of the sound change from going to a "normal" beat to a backbeat.

The Police do this song in regular format. 1,2,3,4

UB40 does it with a strong backbeat 1,2,3,4

1 2 Every 3 breath 4 you 1 take 2 3 4 1
And 2 every 3 move 4 you 1 make 2 3 4
1 Every 2 bond 3 you 4 break, 1 every 2 step 3 you 4 take
I1 ’ll be 2 watch 3 ing 4 you


A back beat can make a different sound, but that is about it.

 

[Greebo]

As my ex-wife music teacher used to say - clapping on the downbeat (1, 3) means you got no rythym.

As a former music major myself (1 semester), I tend to agree.

 

[Eamon]

Now syncopation is a way to make things better.

Syncopation is taking the emphisized beat & slightly moving it foward of bake of the actual beat. It can make the song sound fuller.

Part of the beginings of Jazz in the US were cakewalks & ragtime.

Rag time is heavely syncopated to make up for the poor quality of the piano.

You can play ragtime on an "out of tune" piano and it will sound just fine