When calculating bpm, do you just count the 1 2 3 4 (assuming a simple 4/4 time signature), or would you sometimes count the "and"s as well? If a song has a very strong 1 and 3 and a very weak 2 and 4, do you still count the 2 and 4? There are other permutations of this question I can think of having to do with different time signatures. I'm kind of guessing that the answer is that you always count whatever the first number (e.g., 6 in 6/8 time) indicates and it's as simple a that, but curious to know if it's sometimes more complicated (or different). Thanks.
calculating bpm
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Originally Posted by: dlwalke[p]Usually, but always. For example, in 6/8 you usually count on 1 & 4 as the dotted quarter note gets the count. In 12/8 you usually count on 1, 4, 7, 10.When calculating bpm, do you just count the 1 2 3 4 (assuming a simple 4/4 time signature), or would you sometimes count the "and"s as well?[/quote][p]Yes, counting the downbeats (the numbers) is the default standard.
Originally Posted by: dlwalkeIf a song has a very strong 1 and 3 and a very weak 2 and 4, do you still count the 2 and 4?Usually, yes. Although, this can depend on the time signature & the intention of the composer/performer.
An exception example would be cut-time. In this case the beat is on the half-note. It can help to write & read the notation to do this.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alla_breve
I'm kind of guessing that the answer is that you always count whatever the first number
Hope that helps!
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