... It should be one or the other. The term 'beats' will confuse the answer. If I am counting two half-notes in 2/2 time, how many COUNTS will each half-note receive?
2. If we are in 4/1 time, how many COUNTS will each whole note receive? (4 each or 1 each?)
Rhythm Theory (Music): 1. How many 'counts' will a half-note receive in 2/2 time? (One or two?)?
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Answers (2)
No matter how you ask, the answer is the same. You are making up the confusion in your own mind. How the music is written has nothing to do with how you count it. Many people don't count at all.
Think of it like this...2/2 time is TWO beats to a measure and the HALF NOTE gets ONE beat...So , it would would be counted 1-2 ....4 quarter notes would be counted 1+2+ (4 counts)...8 eighth notes would be counted 1e+a 2 e+a (8 counts)...Dont work outta this time sig much but DO work outta 2/4 ALOT... It depends how the music is "phrased" as to what the best time sig best represents it... The tune "Summertime"....You can count it in 2 bars of 6 thus making it 6/8...OR better , the way its phrased 1 bar of 12 thus making it 12/8.....Sing it and count the beats..... You'll see
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
You have confirmed what I wanted to know. It also confirms my deeper suspicions concerning rhythm theory. The TS system is enigmatically and ridiculously REDUNDANT, . . . (rhythm-wise).
Will someone, (anyone) please show me just one rhythm that CAN'T also be written in some (differently notated) form of X/4? It sounds easy doesn't it?
Show me just one!
I have a theory that virtually EVERY mathematically existing rhythm can be written within some form of almost ANY time signature including X/4.
But X/4 may offer a tad more more varied rhythms than any of the other time signatures.
I wonder if I'm right or wrong.
Thanks again Jewels!
Your response set me on fire.
Okay . . . I'll ask it differently.
How many COUNTS are two half-notes worth in 2/2 time? Is it 1 count or 2 counts? I already know they are half-notes and it is easy to see that there are two in each measure.
The question is: What is the half-note's duration in 2/2 time? Do they retain their normal 2 count or are they reduced to a 1 count because of the time signature rules?
to ask it another way . . .
Is 2/2 . . . a 2-count measure . . . or is it a 4-count measure?
Note Values usually have a consistent value in counts! But it seems that the counts may change in accordance with the rules of assessing the (somewhat illusive) meanings of time-signature formulas.
1 count (or 2 counts) will be the only acceptable answer here. No other explanation should be necessary. The proper count defines the rule, but I don't know the duration's for half-notes in this (2/2) time signature..
It has to be one or the other and it should be in accordance with a consistent rule that reverberates throughout the entire time signature system. Either the denominator receives the COUNT indicted by the numerator . . . or it doesn't. It's confusing and I have never (in 75 years) seen it adequately explained anywhere. (Probably, because I have never asked the question properly.)
I'm trying to pin down the RULE. The correct answer to the question will expose the (not so obvious) rule, and there are two potential answers (1 or 2). It has to be one or the other.