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Author Topic: BPM for songs in 3/4  (Read 323 times)
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bolweevil
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« on: May 06, 2008, 05:09 PM »

I am confused when it comes to figuring out accurate BPM measurements for songs in 3/4. 

Is the BPM determined per group of 3?  When I use the "tap in" function on my metronome, the number seems too high.  I'm pretty sure I'm tapping eighth notes, so do I divide by three or something?  When it's 4/4 it's easier to tell whether I just need to divide in half (counting eighths vs quarter notes or what have you).

I'm a "self-taught" guy; please forgive me if I'm using the incorrect terms (though feel free to correct me).

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Chris Whitten
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« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2008, 05:30 PM »

Yes, it's a group of 3.
3 beats of 4 in a 3/4 time signature.
Metronomes default to 4/4. Is there a function to change it to a 3 grouping.

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moosetication
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« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2008, 05:32 PM »

In 3/4, the quarter note has the pulse, the quarter note is usually used for tempo marking, and as there are three quarter notes to each bar of 3/4 you will be "tapping" three times per bar.
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bolweevil
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« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2008, 07:57 PM »

Thanks guys,
This was kind of a duh post that I almost figured out simply by writing out the question (therefore considering it more clearly than I had before). 

This is the coolest place...thanks for helping without making me feel too dumb!  Smiley
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moosetication
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« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2008, 02:31 AM »

Ah, a "cardboard secretary" problem.

An engineer of my acquaintance many years ago explained about a problem-solving technique they used at his place of work.

Every now and then, everyone gets a seemingly intractable problem. At this particular firm, there was one of those secretaries who was good at spotting when people were troubled, and who would encourage them to sit down and explain the problem to her. She realised that although she had no expertise in their field, it often helps just to talk through a problem - to make yourself explain it in a different way. In doing so, the engineers at this firm often found they could see the solution because they were taking none of the mental "shortcuts" they would taken when thinking the problem through alone.

When they realised this, the engineers found they no longer necessarily needed to speak to the real secretary - they could substitute her even with an inanimate object (the "cardboard secretary") and still get the same results.

So. A "cardboard secretary" problem.
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pemfoo
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« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2008, 06:37 AM »

We used to say "Go tell the duck".

A guy I worked with kept a rubber duck on his monitor just for this purpose. When he would run into a problem, he would explain it to the duck and the answer would become apparent. He would loan it out if you needed it. It's weird how many problems the duck solved.  Wink
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