counting to 7 has never been so hard

Download transcriptions at georgecollierm... and check out the Discord!: / discord
Original video: • Nate Smith giving a co...
Performed by: Nate Smith
Bio: Nate Smith is an American drummer who is a three-time Grammy nominee. He's performed with The Fearless Flyers, and co-wrote and produced Michael Jackson's 'Heaven Can Wait'.
Transcribed by: Balthazar Maignan
faq:
Q: how old are you / A: i'm in high school!
Q: how are you related to jacob collier? / A: i'm not, we just have the same last name
Q: how do you transcribe? / A: i use musescore for notation and 'Transcribe!' for beat marking, slowing down etc
Q: do you have perfect pitch? / A: no
Q: where can i suggest videos? / A: / discord
Q: what music do you listen to? A: open.spotify.c...
Q: why are some videos not transcribed by you? / A: sometimes other people submit transcriptions, most are commissioned from others who can do a better job than i can. i want to make sure you see the best transcriptions possible!

[@GeorgeCollier]

Comments are half split between clap on 1 and clap on 7. I’ve opted for 7 as that just feels right - the clap is always followed by a strong downbeat. He conducts the audience to clap at 0:30 where they clap on what looks like a downbeat, but I would suggest he just conducts like this as there’s no way you can get an audience to clap on an upbeat.

[@cherrylimesatan]

This will be the controversy that finally kicks off the civil war and resulting end of days. Definitely 7 for me personally.

[@lewis2868]

The snare backbeats hit on the 2, on the beat following the clap (which is the 1). End of story. He plays with the rhythmic placement later in the piece, that's the point of what he's doing, but that shouldn't change how it is notated from the beginning. Also the conducting which is clearly a full bar of 7 leading into the 1.

[@BalthazarMaignan]

I feel it on 1 beacause of the snare crosstick "backbeat", like I'm not so used to hear snares on 1 so yeah.

[@Paraselene_Tao]

I totally agree on the 7. I practiced tuba from 6th grade to my senior year. I quit practicing after high school. Maybe someone knows better than me though.

[@aladdinvonrabat183]

I read in the description, that Balthazar Maignan did the transcription? So why do you write, that YOU opted for the clap on 7?

[@x3pher909]

Dunno what’s more impressive. The drummer, or that there is an audience on earth that some how managed to follow 7:4

[@VincentKun]

Is not even a 7/4, there is a 123.5 time Edit: Thank you all for making me notice my error, but you can also not be so rude in comments sometimes. Bye

[@tomherschberg]

I was at this show, I just watched Jaleel and clapped whenever he did because there was no chance I was following along

[@therearebeesinmyeyesplease9650]

@@VincentKun Time signature and tempo are seperate things. Having a different tempo doesn't change the time signature, just the speed of the piece.

[@snow3570]

@@VincentKun 123.5 is how many beats per minute. 4 is the type of note (quarter notes) and 7 is the amount of times that note appears in a bar. So the time signature is 7/4 and the bpm 123.5 :)

[@randomdude1rd1]

7/4 is pretty simple to follow, it's the syncopations and polyrhythms that make it insanely hard here

[@johnkalli7654]

This is why drummers are actual time lords! At 1:58 that groove threw me for a loop! What a prime display of talent, skill, and mastery of time :)

[@diWHY_Jake]

Alright but how the heck do you count this? I can kinda count most of this but this one trips me up completely

[@TheTheOpTiCJewel]

@@diWHY_Jake it’s the same exact way as the rest, it’s just played so slowly that it will throw you off (I’m not big on theory I just play that’s my take on it)

[@dividad1]

This is a concept that was popular last year when a bunch of drummers started covering Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Lots of metric modulation

[@Ysae791]

@@TheTheOpTiCJewel It doesn't get slower, he just makes it look that way

[@thomcowley7332]

That perfectly synchronised clap at 0:31 was quite satisfying

[@spineboy]

I've written a lot of songs in 7, but this was a hard one to "feel". starts on 7, is syncopated. This dude is one solid thinking drummer. Impressive

[@teogrunhut8764]

When the drummer says: "Let's play it in 7/4":

[@jujcianciolo]

honored to be referenced in the title! love love love

[@fabman132]

This had to have been for an audience of percussionists or something right? How I the bloody crikey hell did they keep time so well as a collective. Insane.

[@Joshyrachi]

I'm a musician who prides himself on his rhythmic capabilities. I would have goofed after the second measure.

[@flippedmasterguardian]

It's incredibly hard to keep track of after he starts his rhythmic illusions, it's amazing that the drummer could keep track himself

[@charliecampbell6851]

Second measure? Yikes......

[@AwesomeMan2696]

It’s not hard if you count in your head, but if you don’t it can be tricky

[@Wtahc]

then your rhythmic capabilities are bad

[@Joshyrachi]

I know most people are taking this comment in jest, like was the intent, but I'd suggest the others to not take things so seriously. I get that it's sometimes hard to understand humor over text, but even if this was a 100% real comment, being negative doesn't really help anyone. Anyway happy counting. 🙂

[@jackyjack121]

I love this! Same idea that the first few levels of the game “Rhythm Doctor” are based on, on just how hard it is to count to 7 if you dont have an internal beat

[@absolutelyincognito6719]

Well, sort of. I just finished Rhythm Doctor, and unlike this video the 7th beat we actually clap on is actually just the fourth beat of 4/4 time. We're counting in eighths which is why it's the seventh beat in the game. It's easier to count to seven in the game than in this video. Semi-Spoilers for the game: Except for that one level of the game, N1-X, which actually is in 7/4 time.

[@gertnood]

That's a riot, thanks for transcribing it George. His conducting for one bar didn't help at all where 1 was either, but I'll go with clap on 7. This on of those videos you send to all your music-head friends.

[@danieleatzoridrumchannel7119]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqXQeJuwpdNpibM it was out there since almost 2 years😉

[@gertnood]

@@danieleatzoridrumchannel7119 OK, so what? I just saw it.

[@danieleatzoridrumchannel7119]

@@gertnood just wanted to share.. maybe this with the clap on 1 makes more sense or maybe not

[@gertnood]

@@danieleatzoridrumchannel7119 OK I see.. didn't know what you meant. I tend to think the challenge is to know where 7 is, and the downbeat is on the bass drum quarter note as George has it written. Either way it is pretty neat.

[@milkgrapes6420]

I absolutely love the minimal use of the drum kit. Nate Smith.

[@LeighDWYC]

What a fantastic drummer! Sliding in and out of so many different rhythms while still maintaining the timing is amazing.

[@jackdriffill2394]

Listening to this genuinely stresses me out as somebody who struggles to keep in time in 4/4

[@allstheartist]

i love when the audience’s clapping gets more hesitant

[@ikeatable1]

I learned very early on listening to technical music that the hi-hat is your best friend in funky time signatures or polyrhythms.

[@artykeldeo]

7/4 is going to haunt me for all of my life now, thanks

[@jakedarida196]

Nate Smith never fails at being absolutely mind blowing

[@jamesgarrison9143]

Ah, as a percussionist, we all love these irregular time signatures

[@FlOuRiShFrIeDeR]

woops i feel the clap on the 1 😞

[@lpharmer3496]

Same I can't break myself of from hearing "clap" 234567 "clap" ...

[@tangsolaris9533]

It's deliberately tricky

[@BalthazarMaignan]

I wrote it that way at first but he changed it, must be a musical choice

[@danieleatzoridrumchannel7119]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqXQeJuwpdNpibM here you go

[@bengoldstein8591]

Count the clap on the 6 and the whole thing grooves way harder. Trust me.

[@VinylJourney2007]

This is why I love Nate smith.

[@jimjam1556]

I feel like the bar should be shifted over a quarter note, with the clap being on beat 1. That way you would get all the snares on the off beats instead of beats 1 3 and 5 which just feels wrong imo.

[@danieleatzoridrumchannel7119]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqXQeJuwpdNpibM here you go

[@the_shadowphoenix]

This is one of the coolest things I've ever seen

[@hazel.91]

“SEVEN???” *casually summons millions of rhythm doctor around the world*

[@TheBanana93]

I was on time for most of it but there was those odd ones where he switched it up and i counted 8 or 6 bars! Its easy if its repeated but to notice a tiny change that's the hard part!

[@MilkyPotsu]

Whole crowd just played Rhythm Heaven without even knowing Rhythm Heaven

[@davef5916]

man goes to a different dimension, would love to see what he sees in his mind.

[@nternetrat]

1:53 GOTEEM

[@PierreVG]

This is incredible. Such a good audience. That was very fun to watch !

[@Upsetkiller456]

BPM: 123.5 Every Prog musician: WRITE THAT DOWN, WRITE THAT DOWN!

[@einarabelc5]

The trick is acknowledging the And of 7. That's why it's fun.

[@B1-53]

The most fun I've ever had watching a video

[@andreyturkin]

So the dude basically got the audience to help him with his complex meter exercises.

[@Micha-ohne-el]

This is effectively Rhythm Doctor and I like it

[@craigbikes8831]

Clap on one and just KEEP COUNTING TO 7. The Metronome NEVER WAVERS no matter what! Metronome doesn't care what you play, he ALWAYS counts to 7 and claps on ONE, no matter what the drummer or anyone else says! Metronome is impervious to your tricks :)

[@danieleatzoridrumchannel7119]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqXQeJuwpdNpibM

[@mexicanjesus8672]

this is why drummers keep time

[@geoffreyhattersley9186]

Fabulous counting

[@ttantrum7948]

Genuinely was easier to just feel out the flow than try to count 7/4 in my head lol. Been a musician for over a decade lol

[@mathbookair]

Counting to 7 has never been so hard Rhythm doctor: Am I a joke to you?

[@georgesdrouillard3061]

Amazing!

[@joejchila9120]

Yeah Nate! That was slick! AND FUNKY - like DETROIT baby! 😎

[@shayaneelnath5637]

He rapped with those percussions 🔥

[@Xitronix]

That audience must be 90% musicians💀

[@jasonfutrell9575]

"Dennis Chambers walks into the room" -- So I hear we are playing with time. Hold my beer

[@nongfabeats9468]

Sounds like a great acoustic techno track

[@BenziLZK]

If this happened to be in any rhythm games... I would be failing or just spamming

[@Penquinn14]

This could just as easily be called Triplet Hell and it would fit perfectly

[@ErikAnkan73]

I need a metal version of this.

[@supremebuffalo6322]

God the time is curling my brain

[@briank8697]

The timing is locked up tightly, top notch work

[@poerava]

When the audience are all drummers ....

[@otmgi3865]

This blew my mind. Love it. Turns out I can't count lmao

[@ShowTheOreo]

2:47 he sold his soul for his right hand chop

[@Gayd1]

Jesus this is like a rhythm heaven minigame

[@FCWW87]

My brain melted after the first few bars

[@Dev1nci]

This is just great. I come back every now and then 😄

[@MikaelaAbrilDz]

It's not that hard to follow the rythm, you just can get lost and look at the other musicians clap haha

[@pebbletrees]

this man's memory is legendary

[@firebird1178]

Im way too stoned to be watching this. Im landing somewhere between intense giggles and mild sobbing…

[@tashkashka]

Everytime i miss i feel physical pain

[@FelipeCotta]

Amazing control and musicality🔥

[@themodernshoe2466]

3:03 when the audience applauses for themselves

[@nightsaber99]

Top talent right here!

[@MiaVilleneuve]

I want this as a rhythm heaven game

[@konignickerchen7265]

Rhythm Doctor prepared me for this.

[@Gamgyull]

I don't know when to clap help 7/4 5/4 beats fucks up my mind

[@ktang001]

Mind blown!

[@AAG414]

this would completely destroy my mind if i tried to count it

[@irbomusic]

This is p a i n f u l .

[@christrudell7966]

Rush got this time signature down to a pat

[@camelazo]

Great channel propose!!! THX!

[@manny2092]

"Can you guys play a groove in 7?"

[@2007christian]

BRAVO!

[@FranklyNorman]

The dude is essentially sidechaining the audience. Brilliant

[@pgpidji4431]

im no musician, but i know about the beat count. this is so fun doing it at home, everyone must try. lets see if you can hear, count and clap at the same time XD

[@marlin6668]

I love “off time” beats as a bass player.

[@thedrummerdamo]

I just realised that 7 would make a sick timing for a grime or drill beat

[@samuelsapristi7438]

Nate did it again...Insanely Organic. 2 times in his live shows (one as band leading for Jose James), and I want more and more. His right hand is Magic. And please, no need for dumb comparisons or exclusions...I don't have to or want to choose among Muhammad, Blakey, Emory, Dave, Smith, Dayes, Lewis, Guiliana, Gilmore, Reid, Questlove...and 20 others. Sum them all...

[@jeremyboesmans]

Brilliant

[@jgenert]

So fun!

[@jsrdrums51100]

Insane

[@user-tc2ky6fg2o]

The inventor of the ASCII code system

[@isaacspencer96]

Mike Mangini starts sweating...

[@classicallover8153]

did it, the most painful part was having to repeatedly counting to seven

[@letitiathomas7185]

Not me getting stressed and I'm not even there

[@consentofthegoverned5145]

Dope!

[@Musiqidunyasi333]

Respect 👍

[@noyza2132]

thats a great hearing exercise

[@Serge_Korr_Music]

Cool!!

[@ndzapruder]

Bravo! Exquisite!

[@philatkinson3955]

Cool jam!!❤

[@lordorbnauticus]

Got to be a crowd full of musicians. 😂

[@SDesWriter]

That's just crazy....

[@ArmyOfThree1000]

7 4 is my favorite time sig now

[@LizardDoggo]

the audience is insane, you can actually hear someone say “7/4.”

[@나는문어꿈을꾸는-u5v]

Bravo bro👏👏

[@medinayusazlan]

my head HURT

[@016_]

Bro it took all my brain power at level 2

[@td-12kx53]

Wow!!! 😮