The Waltz beat gets its name from a dance, based on three steps and a three-count measure. According to Webster's dictionary, the term originated from Old High German walzan, meaning to turn or roll. It first appeared in 1781. The dictionaries and encyclopedias all seem to insinuate 3/4 time only. When the time signature systeem is examined closely (Finite to Infinity) we discover that the Waltz rhythms may be written in many, many different time signatures. We will begin with the slower forms of the rhythm (in 3/4) and move into the quicker tempos one-at-a-time.
Notice the resemblance of these 3/4 beat-structures to the five basic beat structures we studied in the previous 4/4 lesson. It is your first clue to the BIG Picture of ALL rhythm that will gradually reveal itself as we go.
HINT: This structuring of 5 primary (or 5 basic beat) forms will reverberate throughout the entire time signature system. Within each primary structure will exist a specific number of potential permutations (variations). This allows us to easily imagine, visualize, see and understand virtually everything, (all the potential 5-quintillion beat permutations and variations) instinctively, as we slowly pursue (and sometimes challenge) the complete time-signature system as it currently exists.
DISCLAIMER: When it seems that unnecessary symbols (rests) may confuse beginning students, I will avoid using them. They serve no useful purpose in this particular context. I feel it is the teachers job to simplify where ever possible. Excuse me for doing that, if you find it offensive. Most students appreciate it. Accept it and stay with me. I don't plan to change my methods, but I do hope to lead you towards some deeper rhythmic complexities of which you may be currently unaware.
By the way; this is actually the first stepping-stone that will lead to all the 18 quintillion beat patterns that will easily become exposed in Finite to Infinity.
Hear the Basic 16th WALTZ Beat
VIDEO: Click here to 'Play', see, and hear the .wmv (Internet/Explorer-Windows Media Player) video of this beat pattern.
Video:
We need not write it exclusively in 3/4 time. I am showing two examples below, to help illustrate that point along with the deeper point that; 9/8 is actually a totally unnecessarily trite and confusing (invented) redundancy. That unnecessary redundancy also creates a need for even more confusing inventions called dotted-notes and dotted-rests. Those final two inventions alone are quite enough to glaze the brightest music-student's eyes with a complete lack of interest. Dotted figures can and should be completely eliminated! It will be proven to all but the most fervent die-hard traditionalists, later.
DON'T WORRY! We won't be dealing with dotted-notes or rests at all, except to condemn them forever to the trash heap to which (in my opinion) they honestly belong. You'll eventually visualize every existing rhythm and beat structure without using them, ever.
We can imagine, write, think and play each, any and all of the existent 18 quintillion song-beat patterns within the musical universe without ever mentioning dotted-notes or any of the exponentially confusing, unnecessary, useless, redundant time-signatures that theoretically exist. It is totally possible to understand EVERYTHING within one brilliant flash or epiphany. We'll deal with it later in 'Finite to Infinity' as you'll discover later. I'm gradually preparing you for that epiphany here and now within this lesson. Like I said; it's the first stepping-stone to much greater awareness.
Hear the Basic 8TH TRIPLET WALTZ Beat
VIDEO: Click here to 'Play', see, and hear the .wmv (Internet/Explorer-Windows Media Player) video of this beat pattern.
Video:
The 9/8 version possesses the EXACT same number of permutations. All are played EXACTLY the same as the Triplet 3/4 version. It is EXACTLY the same beat pattern and we could write it numerous other ways as well.
The notes on the top line are no longer called 8th triplets. Now they are officially known as 8th notes. The notes on the bass and snare lines are NOT quarter-notes. Notice the dot beside each. Now, they are dotted-quarter notes with a (CONFUSING) value of three eight-notes each. I've ignored a few dotted-rests intentionally, since they serve no useful purpose in this particular context. (Yes, I know the time-sigs should tally. Imagine the rests if you must have them. They are obvious and may be assumed. It's your choice.
The notation is entirely different. 9/8 is a lot more difficult to count, read and comprehend, but the actual varied rhythms are EXACTLY the same as 8th-triplet 3/4. THIS is just one of the major (ridiculous redundancy) issues that have existed within our current time-signature system for over 500 years. It's one of the major reasons that only one or two people in 7 billion truly understand musical-time. Redundancies abound! If we eliminate the hideous redundancies completely, it simplifies musical-time by a factor of at least 1000 and we'll completely understand each and every rhythmic permutation that could possibly exist, without any confusion. When musical-time is FINALLY understood by everyone, we can expect our music to rapidly evolve in many beautifully NEW directions at once.
I'm (boldly) contending that even our brightest music-educators do not fully comprehend this issue completely. If they did, it would have (and should have) been changed, about the time Gutenberg invented the printing press, or at least as ballpoint-pens were invented in the 1940's.
The redundancy MADNESS was created at a time when pen-strokes were a huge concern. Time and invention itself, (ie; printing presses, ball-point pens, computers and digital technology) have changed the game for all the future. This is a totally different era! Those many, many redundancies no longer serve any useful purpose at all, except for the occasional ego-maniacal composer (or teacher) who will write music to intentionally confuse their readers and students.
I'll point-out later that the only reason to write music in 'say', 16/32 time would be to make the writer appear as intellectually elite.
(EXAMPLE and Point in case: 16/32 is nothing more or less than 2/4, written with more complex and confusing notation. Both contain exactly the same rhythmic variations and permutations. The only difference is the complexity (16/32), versus the simplicity (2/4), of the notation). Why is it so important to confuse our poor reader, dear teacher? (That's my question to the 'traditional' academic World.)We'll take up this point in greater detail as we study 'Finite to Infinity'. The information you'll discover there 'could' put YOU (or nearly any 'thinking' musician) on the fast-track, cutting-edge of some exciting potential major changes that this debate will (sooner or later) bring to our ears in the form of new, different and more innovative modern music. You may become the one who institutes those changes and it could become very profitable to do so.
I'm making this blanket statement in hopes of turning a few mental-cogs amongst the masses. We'll discuss it more deeply in 'Finite to Infinity'. It's barely the tip of the horrendous Iceberg contained within the current time signature system as it has been taught since the late 1500s. It's a repeated madness (insanity) that has actually stunted the evolution of music, 500 years too long! You may become one who will hopefully help change that, as you too understand the implications of what it means for the future advancement of all music. This is my favorite rant! Once I get started on it, I can't seem to stop! Sorry! Let's
move on . . .)
Hear the Basic 8th WALTZ Beat. It appears simple here but it is absolutely jam-packed with smoking potential.
VIDEO: Click here to 'Play', see, and hear the .wmv (Internet/Explorer-Windows Media Player) video of this beat pattern.
Video:
Hear this 'Funkier' Syncopated WALTZ Beat
VIDEO: Click here to 'Play', see, and hear the .wmv (Internet/Explorer-Windows Media Player) video of this beat pattern.
Video:
Yes, this too may be written hundreds of more complicated ways, though the permutated rhythms and beat variations would all be exactly the same. Keep asking yourself WHY it might be necessary to write each of our 18 quintillion beat patterns 100 different (more confusing) ways, each? If you can discover any legitimate reason, I'd love to hear it. I've been looking for just one, since the mid 1980's and to date I haven't found a singular plausible reason except for the occasional opportunity for a (lazy) writer to save a few (now very easy) pen-strokes.
Hear the Basic
SHUFFLE WALTZ Beat
VIDEO: Click here to 'Play', see, and hear the .wmv (Internet/Explorer-Windows Media Player) video of this beat pattern.
Video: Watch, listen and learn.
VIDEO: Click here to 'Play', see, and hear the .wmv (Internet/Explorer-Windows Media Player) video of this beat pattern.
Video:
There is still much more . . .
Are you ready for a change of pace?
RUDIMENTS, ROLLS and FILLS (Part 1): Boring rolls are not so boring when used as thundering fill patterns in mid-song. (Simplified for beginners!)
Copyright Bill Powelson 1994-2008-2014 all rights reserved.
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