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What is something other people seem to grasp easily that eludes you? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 day ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
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For me it's time signatures in music. I grew up playing instruments, played in several orchestras, etc. But no matter how many times someone tries to explain time signatures to me, it makes no sense. I don't understand why people place such importance on it. To me, notes have a pitch and a duration, maybe some dynamics. That's it. I don't understand why people try to needlessly complicate it. It doesn't give you anything.

My wife will hear a song and go "Oh neat, it's in 5/8." And I'm like "How tf do you know that, and why does it matter?"

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[–] 2 points 17 hours ago (1 child)

Is that supposed to be intuitive? You'd think the one with 3 in the name would be the one with emphasis every 3rd note

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  • [–] 1 point 14 hours ago

    It is more intuitive in groups of 3 notes. 3/4 is often used for a waltz, TA-ta-ta, TA-ta-ta.

    The emphasise is on the first note of the 3.

    6/8, as I have learned from this thread, has the emphasis a little on the first but mostly on the 4th, so Ta-ta-ta TA-ta-ta. It moves differently. If you use a series of 8th notes, the whole thing flips, and 6/8 feels fluid, and 3/4 feels janky.

    The time signatures have a purpose, it's just not.....well explained.

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