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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Butterfield - One More Heartache, time signature?
Butterfield - One More Heartache, time signature?
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Todd Parrott
1208 posts
Mar 25, 2014
1:48 AM
Can someone help me understand what time signature this tune is using? Just trying to help someone work on the harp solo section, but the timing is driving me nuts.

puri
147 posts
Mar 25, 2014
3:45 AM
It's still 4/4 to me, Todd. It's the bass line that's confusing. The very first note that you hear seems like a pickup to the first beat of the bar but it's not. I think this clip is probably missing out one note - the first half of the first beat. So the first two notes that you hear, if you want to count them I think it's rather be & 2 not & 1 like how it seems to be. Try it, it makes sense to me this way.

Here's the two bass patern

The 1st one - 1 & 2, 3, 4 &__ 1 & 2, 3, 4&__

and when you arrive the easy one it's just 1 & 2 & 3 & 4&___ and so on
Milsson
122 posts
Mar 25, 2014
4:32 AM
This is how i see it. The bass line is the key. The trumpet, piano and the snare are played like a reggae beat and the bass i laiyng a foundation. If you tap your foot between the piano beats you are taping the foot with the bass player. To make things more complicated the other half of the brass section comes in and plays on the "bass beat" at 2min.
If you listen to the solo the bass and paul "meets" every now and then. Other then that i think paul just plays tripplets BUT i get some kind of 5/4 feel. Probably cause he is "draging" or swinging a little.

Listen to rj mischo to get a feel for how the tripplets "floats" above the beat. 4.15 min in the clip

Last Edited by Milsson on Mar 25, 2014 4:34 AM
harp-er
546 posts
Mar 25, 2014
6:20 AM
It's 4/4. The bass is on the down beat, or playing the entire 1-2-3-4 signature, and the snare is on the back beat, or 2 and 4. This gives it a bit of a syncopated, or off beat feel, but it's clearly still 4/4. When there's clapping, that's with the snare on the back beat.
Baker
371 posts
Mar 25, 2014
6:55 AM
Yeah, it's 4/4 or actually I think it might be 2/4. The confusing part is where the beat starts. The clip isn't missing the first beats as puri mentions as this is exactly how it sounds on the album. However the bass starts in an odd position. The bass starts on the &, 3 – the first note is on the off beat, the second note is on the 3 – however the bass' groove is so strong you feel like it's the beginning of the measure. In fact it's so strong it makes it really hard to count it correctly.

The vocal then comes in on the 1, but it sounds like its the 3. This causes the bass line to sound like it swings around but actually carries on consistently.

The hand claps/snare are on the off beat as they sound like they should be. Start counting from where the singing comes in and it makes sense. Or if you count from the beginning starting with 3, on the second bass note (&, 3, etc.)

It's just that the intro that is odd I think, because it is two beats shorter. I love rhythmical tricks like this. Butterfield playing with your head.

Last Edited by Baker on Mar 25, 2014 7:31 AM
Todd Parrott
1210 posts
Mar 25, 2014
8:53 AM
Yes, thanks everyone for listening and helping. It is 4/4 (or 2/4) - the bass lick is what makes it tricky. I listened to it on my phone, where you basically can't hear the bass, and it made it much easier to wrap my brain around what was going on. I think now that I get it, I like the tune even more.

Last Edited by Todd Parrott on Mar 25, 2014 8:53 AM
Slimharp
261 posts
Mar 26, 2014
9:38 AM
OT Ahhh Paul, pushing the edge ( when was this 68 )in Jazz/Blues. This is some of his finest playing IMHO. Those fast slurrs down into 2&3 draw. Killer. One of my favorites. Played the slots off of it.
Hondo
287 posts
Mar 26, 2014
8:24 PM
Excuse me please but would someone help with the ptterm that R. J. starts at 4:31?
Milsson
123 posts
Mar 27, 2014
4:19 AM
3D' 4B 4D' 4B over and over again..


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