Timing question

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JD01
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Timing question

Post by JD01 »

I've noticed this quirk in drum timing a few times on songs now, its not a problem but I'm just wondering what it is.

Basically, everything is 4/4 but it appears that the first beat of the next section starts on the 4th beat of the last bar of the previous section.
Then that whole next section is kind of slid forward a beat.

I've done a sound clip so you can hear what I mean - very much a WIP.
Just DI'd tones, no bass.
Drum Timing.mp3
I've done this is a few songs and I've sometimes felt like when I've got into this timing I can't get my song to get out of it again even when I want it to, do you know what I mean.

While this isn't uncommon I think I'd just never noticed that there was actually something quirky going on with the beat until I programmed drums in this way. I first noticed it consciously when I programmed drums for Enter Sandman by Metallica, which is all like this, I hadn't noticed it before even when I'd played Enter Sandman in bands both on guitar and drums! haha.
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Greg_L
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Re: Timing question

Post by Greg_L »

There's nothing weird about it. You're just accenting smaller divisions of the beat.

1-e-and-uh.
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Lt. Bob
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Re: Timing question

Post by Lt. Bob »

Greg_L wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:18 am There's nothing weird about it. You're just accenting smaller divisions of the beat.

1-e-and-uh.
^^^^^^^^^^^ this ^^^^^^^^^
Farview
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Re: Timing question

Post by Farview »

You are just accenting the ups. There is nothing strange about the timing, you are just making it more complicated in your head than it actually is.
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Greg_L
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Re: Timing question

Post by Greg_L »

Exactly. It's ups and downs. Common in all rock music.

A big part of the AC/DC thing is the guitars change on the ups and the drums stay straight on the downbeats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIE4UjBtx-o

Or the chorus of Hellbent for Leather....starts at 0:42 or so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC1RQy0bu04
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