This charming man intro time sig?

guitarmangler

Ok, does anyone know what the heck is happening with the time signature at the beginning of this charming man? Is he just dropping a beat for a bar of 7/8?

Or is he just feeling the song at with a different pulse to the drums and bass?If so, what is it? 

 Or just not starting at the beginning of a bar?
And when are the drums and bass coming in? 

Argh! It’s driving me mental!

digitalkettle

I think he comes in on the '2'.

Lestratcaster

It starts on an off-beat, the "e" (16th subdivision) of 1. Its in 4/4 as far as I know, I had to play it once. They key is where the accent is in the bar as it makes it sound like its changed time signature. Once the band kicks in its no doubt easier to follow!

Danny1969

Nightmare intro for me, I just can't the same feel ... But I think it's comped from 2 takes as you can hear a kind of unnatural glitch just as he slides the double stop back up and goes to the higher notes 

digitalkettle

Lestratcaster said:

It starts on an off-beat, the "e" (16th subdivision) of 1. Its in 4/4 as far as I know, I had to play it once. They key is where the accent is in the bar as it makes it sound like its changed time signature. Once the band kicks in its no doubt easier to follow!

It's on the beat...but it's the second beat.

OP: it's slower and clearer on the 'Hatful' version.

Supportact

In this video he explains the timing of the intro, I think it sounds right the way he does it:



The relevant bit is about 3m45 in. 

viz

Yup Justin's spot on, but for the faint hearted it's easier to think of it starting on the 1, and you have four quick bars:

4/8
4/8
4/8
3/8

guitarmangler

viz said:

Yup Justin's spot on, but for the faint hearted it's easier to think of it starting on the 1, and you have four quick bars:

4/8
4/8
4/8
3/8

15/8! Thanks, chaps. I’ll have a watch of that Justin video later on tonight.

digitalkettle

You won't be counting 15/8 at this pace (4/4 north of 200bpm)!

Isn't it simpler to:

• count 4 (this line is optional)
• feel the silent beat 1 somehow, e.g. sniff or stamp your foot
• start playing on beat 2
• bask in your glorious achievement

Brad

digitalkettle said:

You won't be counting 15/8 at this pace (4/4 north of 200bpm)!

Isn't it simpler to:

• count 4 (this line is optional)
• feel the silent beat 1 somehow, e.g. sniff or stamp your foot
• start playing on beat 2
• bask in your glorious achievement

Or start on beat one on the first of 3 bars of 4/4 and one bar of 3/4

digitalkettle

Here are your options...


I choose option 2 because I don't want drum sticks throwing at me

blobb

This is a great video. Might not help with your particular problem but still worth watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gei2deEJbt4

viz

digitalkettle said:

You won't be counting 15/8 at this pace (4/4 north of 200bpm)!

Isn't it simpler to:

• count 4 (this line is optional)
• feel the silent beat 1 somehow, e.g. sniff or stamp your foot
• start playing on beat 2
• bask in your glorious achievement

Well, 8 or 4. It’s a bit of a fast 4 for me. But ok 4/4 4/4 4/4 3/4. 

HAL9000

guitarmangler said:

15/8!

Yes, these are difficult times ;-)

HAL9000

Lestratcaster said:

…They key is where the accent is in the bar as it makes it sound like its changed time signature.

A bit like Toto’s Africa - sounds like it’s constantly changing time signature but it’s just the accent moving around.

bwets

You can see how it fits to the chords when he loops it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMbS_043bVE

(How do embed a video here?)