the repeat . It ’ s clear that the time signature changes work in this example , because the vocal melody feels natural over them . Each phrase has some time to “ breathe ” when we come back to 4 / 4 time .
If we just had 4 / 4 time for every measure , we ’ d have to quickly regroup after each phrase with very little time to breathe , and I ’ d argue that it wouldn ’ t sound as musical .
I ’ m going to provide an example of what these words and chords might look like if they were found on a chord chart , as opposed to a lead sheet . [ 2 ]
What do you notice ? The time signature changes are still there , but they ’ re invisible . Some chord charts I ’ ve created may include slashes to show extra beats at the end of each phrase , but in my experience , most chord charts don ’ t include this extra bit of treatment . That ’ s why a lead sheet can be more advantageous than a chord chart , and of course , a recording helps a lot . But a lead sheet also promotes more musical literacy , right ?
Let ’ s look at my second example , where we have a brief departure to ( and from ) 3 / 4 time
( feel free to play along with the video .) [ 3 ]
Again , I ’ ll provide a chord chart to show you that it can be captured this way , but also to illustrate the fact that the time signature change is once again invisible . [ 4 ]
So how do we detect time signature changes mid-song ? I ’ m glad you asked . These are my suggestions . To get better at detecting time signatures mid-song , I encourage you to :
• Observe the vocal melody ( sing it if you can )
• Identify the strumming pattern ( or create one )
• Watch for when chord changes happen ( they can indicate downbeats )
• Listen to the audio recording , especially the drummer
• Tap your foot and count the beats in each measure as you listen
• Reference a lead sheet ( instead of a chord chart ), and
• Follow your intuition
As you can imagine , this same process applies in reverse order when it comes to writing your own music . If you want to create time signature changes mid-song , you totally can . A word of wisdom here : let your melody guide you . Sometimes , the melody takes on a bit of a life of its own , and this may necessitate a time signature change . And there are all kinds of possibilities beyond the three time signatures we ’ ve worked with here .
So , as we wrap up , it ’ s important to recognize the fact that mid-song time signature changes are quite common . Will we recognize them ? Will we take them on with grace , style , and precision ? Will we equip our collaborators to do the same ?
I ’ m hoping at this point that you can see the relevance for becoming more aware of this important aspect of the songs we play . Knowledge is power , but knowledge alone is not enough … we have to do something with it . So please , go do something with this knowledge you ’ ve acquired today ! And please stay in touch .
© GuitarSuccess4U . All rights reserved . David Harsh David Harsh is a nationally touring worship leader , songwriter and performing artist . He helps beginning and returning guitarists find a clear path to guitar success with his revolutionary approach . Learn more and join at www . GuitarSuccess4U . com .
[ 3 ]
[ 4 ]