Transcribing Rhythms

LightB4sound

I have been putting in a lot of time transcribing of late, primarily for my students notes, but one areas where I have a weakness is in more complex rhythms, does any one have any suggestions as to ways of getting the notated rhythm correct?

I guess one problem is sometimes there might be more than one way of doing this, and when you hear it back on something like Guitar Pro, it sounds right, but isn't that same as someone else's transcription.

Timmy

what do you define as complex? working within one beat of a bar and writing all the permutations methodically through the subdivisions is a good start. that way you get used to all the possible options within in one beat.  phrases will then just be different combinations of one beat rhythms.      

LightB4sound

Problems I am having are with syncopated lead and rhythm parts particular in 16th note resolutions. Great exercise that though Timmy!

Timmy

ok,  work out all the combinations of 16th note rhythms with in a beat think of these as micro phrases learn to write them as well to singing them so you have the sound to go with the notation. singing them is vital if you want transcribe quickly as your mind will associate the sound of the rhythm to the visual notation.  below are all the possible combinations of 16th note rhythms this will make sense hopefully if you know the 1e+a 2e+a 3e+a 4e+a way of counting 16ths.  be carefull though as there are a couple of ways to write some of these rhythms depending on how long the notes actually last.  hope this all makes sense and is of use to you   

4 note   1e+a

3 note   ..e+a   1..+a    1e..a   1e+..

2 note   1e....   ..e+..    ....+a  1....a   ..e..+

1 note   1......   ..e....    ....+..  .....a

LightB4sound

Hi Timmy,

Thanks for that, I have the 16th counting down but it is the subdivision within, especially with rest which just throw me, as you example shows, I think I just need to sit and keep going through and through it

Thanks

Neil

Phil_aka_Pip

Its a real shame that ordinary typefaces don't represent rhythms that well.

MatthewShreddery

It takes lots of practice to get good at transcribing rhythms.

Start off with very simple stuff.

Read lots of music.

There really is only one way of notating a given rhythm correctly so far as I'm aware, and Guitar pro files tend to be woefully incorrect in terms of note groupings etc. The rhythm may be correct sometimes but grouped wrong.

Barney

This is interesting

ChrisMusic

If any of you good FretBoardians found that helpful there are more explorations, including Konnakol, Frank Zappa, Mattias Eklundh, Guthrie Govan, and more here >

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/25418/rhythms-and-poly-rhythms-with-a-little-indian-spice#latest

Good call, and nice video @Barney.

If you would be good enough to add that (or the whole series) to the other discussion I would be very grateful, it would be a valuable addition.

Sorry for the minor thread-jack, hopefully a helpful one though...

Handsome_Chris

I've been using Guitar Pro to assist me in learning stuff, as well as developing my guitar playing.

@MatthewShreddery, do you find that it is the transcription that is wrong, or something the GP is doing something to make it wrong? 

MatthewShreddery

It's usually the way the rhythms are grouped that is wrong. Making it impossible to read.

Often the resulting rhythm is correct, but written wrong.

It's been a long time since I've used any tabs, guitar pro files etc.

Handsome_Chris

@Timmy, is this how you're exercise type thing should look and sound?

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac233/elastitude/TimmysPractice_zps1657f8bf.png

Please forgive the compact score.  I'm not used to doing it.

LightB4sound

@barney that's a great video and a great find!! Thanks for sharing, really useful!

Timmy

Hey good work. Some of it is written corectly. If I learn how to I will post a chart with them all. As I said they before there are a couple of writing some depending on how long the notes last .