Understanding The Elements of Musical Rhythm

Learn my system for playing guitar www.samuraigui...
---------------------------------------­­­­­­­­­--------------------------------­-­-­-­-­-­-­-­-­------------
/ samuraiguitarist
/ samuraiguit
/ samuraiguit
Instagram @samuraiguitarist
Snapchat @samuraiguit
[e-mail]
---------------------------------------­­­­­­­­­--------------------------------­-­-­-­-­-­-­-­-­------------
Guitarist/Songwriter/Samurai
Born in the Manitoba prefecture of Canada, samuraiguitarist, Steve-san Onotera, honed his discipline under the study of the country's most powerful musical sensei.
Bred on rock, raised on the blues, trained in jazz, samuraiguitarist creates incredibly innovative videos that showcase his talents on the guitar.

[@fprintf]

This is the *first* time I've understood the reason for 3/4 vs. 6/8 time. Bravo, nicely done. I still find odd time signatures like 7/8, 7/4 and 5/4 difficult to understand but mostly because counting the beats doesn't feel as natural, but at least i understand it now! Thanks!

[@smorrow]

There would be literally zero confusion between 3/4 and 6/8 if the standard was to instead write 3♩ and 6♪.

[@smorrow]

Which is an acceptable notation according to Garder Reed. Fun fact, Zappa uses it in the orchestral Dupree's Paradise.

[@ChrisComstock612]

Just a fan side note, I've been a fan for a long time and have been trying to get my band to watch your videos. Your videos did warn of musicians show signs of unprofessional traits and I saw them in my band. For the past year I put my all into this band and then they found a new guy and kicked me out and yeah of course it's more complicated than that but I just wanted to thank you for helping me with my overall musicianship. Well you did more then that actually, you've also been funny and entertaining but most of all, you kind of helped me keep my chin up when musician friends have been awful to me. You also kinda help me see this coming with my band even though I was hoping we would all get along in the end. I also really appreciate you always writing back to my comments with actual positivity. What I'm trying to say is that you're cool as hell and rock on!

[@moisescrespo2132]

im glad im not the only one who feels alone during the same situation as you :)

[@PrinceWesterburg]

It sounds like you evolved out of the band - good riddence I say and all the best in the future! :o)

[@ChrisComstock612]

Prince Westerburg yeah I hear that

[@humpdefunk]

Awesome...sorry that happened but maybe it happened to help you find a better opportunity somewhere. Trust me theres a band out there for you.

[@JuanIgnacioSuarezRosario]

just remember wath happened to Lemmy, they kick him out and then ... Mustaine is another, and so on and on.Keep it up, sun is shining my friend, go get some ppl with the same attitude as you, you'll get around it !

[@haksin2179]

This is literally one of the most readable and easy to understand tutorials on KZbin. Thanks

[@adrianmcallister8511]

A useful way of wraping your mind around the difference between 3/4 and 3/8 (or any other 4 vs 8) is how you count and subdivide in your head. Time signatures built on quarter notes usually have every note getting it's own beat (tap of foot or count). Time sigatures built on eighth notes on the otherhand are usually used in faster music and usually just the first note gets a beat (tap of foot og count). In both 3/4 and 3/8 the first beat is usually the strongest, but in 3/4 you would likely still count all three notes out loud unlike 3/8 where you usually only count the first beat and feel the others as subdivisions This is more usefull in mor complex time signatures used in some modern classical music, Indian music an balkan folk music where you might have a bar of 25/8 divided into 7+7+11 or wich again is divided into 3+2+2, 3+2+2, 2+2+3+2+2.

[@THEQueeferSutherland]

Damn, this was the greatest explanation I've ever seen. I have gotten by on 4/4 forever and vaguely understood 3/4 but only pretended to understand anything further. Now I get it.

[@0800333pedro]

three months of musical theory in 9 minutes

[@gado__]

Pedro Cerda what do you mean by that? did it take you three months to learn?

[@alextrendler]

he left his metronome on and went on vacation

[@augustghdez2044]

@@gado__ it means what you see at school during 3 months, here you can find it by only watching a video of 9 minutes.

[@AndreasLiberos]

Your channel is pure genius mate! And the way you explain things is second to none

[@pavlepopovic4996]

thank you for the summary of this much information in such a short video, studying for a test and needed to go over some basics in a short time you helped a lot

[@Loffeno]

Great video to introduce beginners to rhythm. Great job samurai!

[@michaelcolvin348]

Awesome work Bro I watched this as a review and I appreciate how you have a clear and simply put way of teaching newer people what is usually difficult material to study. Thank you !!! Keep up the good work

[@mizugorihl2978]

Just a side note on 3/8 from personal experience - it's a great filler bar for notating polyrhythms on a score (for x/8 time signatures). The brevity of it, ironically enough, helps keep the bar and phrase easily legible, provided you can avoid seeing the phrase as necessarily starting or ending at a barline. Or that's the way I see it anyway. The musings on 3/8 and 3/4 sound interesting - would love to hear other people's takes on it

[@jackren295]

Interesting observation! I'm coming from playing classical pieces on the piano, mostly baroque and classical works. I feel like that 3/8 suggests a more articulated, animated, bouncy and light style of playing when comparing to 3/4. Seeing those 8th and 16th notes makes you feel like playing faster. If you look into Goldberg Variation, BWV 988 by J.S. Bach, one of his greatest keyboard works, you can see other time signatures with large denominator: 12/8 for variation 3; 12/16 for var. 11; 3/8 for var. 4, 6 and 19; 9/8 for var. 24; and 18/16 for var. 26. So this is my take on 3/8 vs. 3/4.

[@DEBATABLECLOCK]

I've watched so many videos of you in one day that now I got your accent. Thanks for such wonderful content!

[@corrda1993]

I see 3/8 a lot in classical music. Like how a song in 4/4 might throw in 1 bar of 2/4 (a half bar) I see songs in 6/8 throw in 1 bar of 3/8 (a half bar). Also sometimes when reading a musician may play 16th notes in 3/8 with a lighter feel than 8th notes in 3/4. For example a dotted quarter , eighth, quarter would be played heavier than looking at dotted eighth, sixteenth, eighth.

[@jeremyatkins1299]

Hey, wonderful video! One clarification about 3/8 time: It would be used instead of 3/4 time if the meter feels like it takes place in one whole beat, rather than 3 distinct beats with an emphasis on beat 1. This is because 3/4 is part of "simple" time, which means the beat has a natural division of 2 (a pair of 8th notes). 3/8 is part of "compound" time, meaning the beat is divided into 3 sub-beats (a triplet 8th note pattern). In newer music, 3/4 can be so fast and 3/8 so slow, it almost makes little difference practically. Historically though, it helps indicate how the meter should feel to the listener. If you were dancing, are you performing distinct movements with 3 impulses, or 3 "flowing" movements that fit within one impulse? Hope this is all clear as mud!

[@peiquedq]

Hey that was a great video! I liked how you passed through various topics with sufficient depth and still kept the video beginner friendly. If I'd saw this when I was learning about this stuff I think I would be much more inclined to explore these concepts on my own (and thus learning the "right" way) right way. Now that I already did it, way back then, I can say that you did an amazing job!

[@aceofacez10]

Thank you so much, none of the music channels I follow make videos about the basics. I'm a beginner piano player but I've gotten hung up about music theory and worrying if I'm practicing optimally

[@boonthebuffoon]

Thank you, Sensei, you just opened up the world of odd meter to me. I don't know why, but it never occured to me that there were other emphasized notes apart from the first in a 5/4 or 7/8. Now it all makes sense to me and I'm intrigued! I'm so up for what's coming in this series!

[@heavysteppaaa7024]

ur litterally saving me for my music theory exam i love you

[@LuizGMohallem]

Your videos always come in the best time. That one where you talked about the good and bad things about the music industry motivated me to go to music school, and this week I have to rewrite a song but I'm not sure if it's in 3/4 or 6/8 haha now I have more tools to find out

[@purplealice]

Another reason for choosing 6/8 instead of 3/4 is because, by changing which notes get accentuated, you can give 6/8 a "three feel" or a "two feel". Of course, it's all up to the individual composer and what impression she/he wants the piece to give the listeners.

[@timvanroon2175]

Great stuff, articulate explanations of the fundamentals, often the hardest things to teach. Gonna steal some of your explanations to teach my students! ;)

[@ElCaza89]

Really cool vid my man, I finally understood time signatures :))

[@angelicbeast7793]

One of my favorite songs to play is actually in 11/8 time. Played it for a performance exam in February, had to teach my other players how to count in 11/8. It was a fun time.

[@avedic]

Just subbed! I literally discovered your channel 5 minutes ago by way of your appearance in an Adam Neely video. I like your style and content....can't wait to dig into your archive of videos. : )

[@jackcoleman2234]

Im in college for music and I just wanna say thanks man this was a real help.

[@TheMightyPirateTm]

Thanks for the video, I like the examples. You also answered an old question I had - 3/4 vs 6/8 which mathematically always seemed the same to me :)

[@chasegleason6948]

This video really helped me get on track, but I do think that the fact you sped it up to Make it flow better was distracting once you caught it. Keep up the good work and the incredibly well made videos. Thanks!

[@reginapollard6433]

i want to sincerely thank you for making this video. thank you :)

[@nickbenz5281]

Very good video! :) I think you explained the fundamental aspects quite understandable for beginners, but there were also things that are interesting for me as an advanced musician. Like for example the difference between 3/4 and 6/8. Or the different feelings of 5/4 or 7/8.

[@kalvinwatson892]

Great video! Really informative and thoroughly explained. Just a quick suggestion. You may want to advise your viewers about the differences between American note names and British note names. Personally (and as British Musician) I actually think the American system is more confusing once you start moving away from 4/4 notation as a 'quarter note' isn't a quarter of a bar anymore. Other than that great content as usual and I look forward to your next video! Thanks Mr Samurai!

[@samuraiguitarist]

I actually had no idea the systems were different, what is the difference?

[@kalvinwatson892]

A response to my post! Thanks Mr Samurai! It's as follows: Whole notes = semibreves. Half notes = minims. Quarter notes = crotchets. Eighth notes = quavers. Sixteenth notes are semiquavers. We still subdivide the beat but we don't refer to them as a maths equation. As I mentioned the American system works great in 4/4 but personally I think it can get a little confusing when you move over to other time signatures.

[@smorrow]

> a 'quarter note' isn't a quarter of a bar anymore It's still a quarter of a whole note though

[@martinvannostrand8488]

Hey, totally off topic from the video, but what is that instrument you have on the top shelf? And would you be interested in demonstrating it for us if you haven't already?

[@isaacanderson825]

Thanks for the awesome helpful Vids, keep up the amazing work!

[@Mienarrr]

Thank you so much for this!! also your skin is literally glowing, how do you do it :D

[@DaveCBomb]

love this!!! thank you ! MAKES SENSE FINALLY!!

[@MeetTheNewYear]

When talking about BPM, you forgot to mention how compound time signatures (like 6/8) count the dotted quarter note as the click. Apart from that, sound explanation video.

[@Brutalexecution]

Thanks! I knew difference in signatures, but still this video gave me a whole different perspective on how I can write my music! Great stuff, as always!

[@tokyoandthesexwhales4514]

underrated video

[@TheAdjacents-ABQ]

Once more a terrific lesson

[@RE3_14]

Thanks! Great summary on the basics of musical rhythm. Is there a #2, more advanced? Do you know/ use konnakol for odd time signatures?

[@DanielPalov]

What, I've been wathcing you for quite some time and just noticed that I was not subscribed ... :( I am starting my journey through music and try to improve, this kind of videos help a lot. :)

[@updown5238]

Wow mate! Fantastic.

[@NashTheGreat]

Most useful video ever. My school music teacher teached us shit.

[@levincruz2019]

THANK YOU SENSEI!

[@jjgdenisrobert]

Not an expert in ancient music, but I do know that historically, 3/8 was distinct from 3/4; some dance forms were notated 3/8 (bourrée) and some in 3/4 (minuet). The difference is mostly lost today, afaik.

[@johna8341]

Super helpful video!

[@tomasgonzales]

How does strong beat weak beat relate to and actual song? Since you don't hear a metronome on every song how do you know like is it intensity of the note, length or what? You said you play around it so how do you recognize which one is beat one and what time signature is it? Also Is the note on the bottom of the time signature always the beat? And if not is there any way to know or is it case by case with no generalization whatsoever?

[@cozymold_1781]

thx bro

[@Corranhorn122]

I keep on seeing these lessons about time signatures in relation to rhythm, but where are all the lessons that talk about what makes a variation from a constant tempo sound good? Finding some lessons on that would be really helpful.

[@Lisbonized]

Perfectly explained!

[@EuniceLucie]

Thank you for this!!

[@Thiagopitia]

how do you put rhythmic figures on your video screen? Thanks

[@IgNaceus]

The shadow on the wall makes me uneasy

[@konstantincvetanovic5357]

Damn now i cant unsee it

[@andrewszmauz3529]

I love this video, you are the man! The C in common time isn't actually a C though, it's a broken circle!

[@epiczeven6378]

I have a question: How do you make a midi flam note? is it by adding a 32nd note in the left of the accentuated note? I know how it feels, but what is the correct way to write it on midi?

[@hushedtones7168]

It varies by BPM used in your genre usually it's a few millisecondes so figure the length of your subdivisions. Inputing it with a keyboard or drumpad or e-drum is usually better to get a real feel. Because depending on your idea and the function of the section you are writing it may be the first hit that is on the beat or it may be slightly ahead and the 2nd beat hit on or slightly after the beat.

[@hushedtones7168]

at 120bpm each measure is 2seconds. Beat is 500ms, 8th is 250ms, 16th is 125ms 32nd is 62.5ms 64th is 32.75ms Even a 64th is a fairly big gap I'm not sure it would feel natural. What you can do in your DAW is make a 2 tracks 1 for each hit and program the track offset delay to a few ms and hear how it sound then increase and reduce the offset and you will find what sound natural to your ear. Midi velocity is important too.

[@ferramirez4570]

My God Samurai and i Know you're trying to make it seems as simple as possible but i Feel it is kind of difficult to me to understand it!

[@mijailpavka2805]

Thank you!!

[@Nifuruc]

I still have a hard time to understand the difference between 7/4 and 7/8... For me it feels like the same and they are often used both for a song by different people. Why is Money by Pink Floyd 7/4 and not 7/8? Does it even matter? Thanks for the video!

[@theocaratic]

the difference is largely in how a song is notated in sheet music. if a song is notated with an eighth note as the beat, then it's 7/8. if it is notated with a quarter note as the beat, then it's 7/4. another thing to consider is the changing of time signatures. since "Money" changes into 4/4 time, and the length of a single beat stays constant, we consider it to be in 7/4. musicians will also often play 7/4 slower and more deliberately than 7/8. this technically doesn't matter, but it can sometimes be a factor in what you call a song.

[@Nifuruc]

+the ocarina bard Thank you! This totally makes sense... Especially the part about changing into 4/4! I haven't wrote any songs with this time signatures, yet but everytime I played around with it, it felt like the same to me. So as a bassist I didn't pay much attention to the fact if a song was written in /4 or in /8. I just played the 7 notes as it was played in the original song and no matter how the tabs were written it always felt pretty natural... Rhythm is so fascinating and I really want to understand it. Polyrhythm and odd time signatures are great to get deeper into this world of music theory! ^^

[@E5UOSliM]

1+2+3+4+5+6+7+ vs 1and uh 2 and 3 and

[@entertoby6698]

I'm going to have to watch this video a couple of times before I get it lol

[@LegsON]

What's the difference between 8/8 and 4/4 if we keep the same tempo?

[@samuraiguitarist]

So you would probably only write a song in 8/8 if the accents were a little weird like 3+3+2/8 or something like that.

[@CursesandCallouses]

Is that ProTools session recording the audio? I sat and watched it for the first part of the video haha

[@Ramzi99]

What did you use to create the diagrams?

[@boomdeyada1000]

i always love ur videos mate keep it up :) cool as

[@iisuman]

Anyone know of a site where one could practice reading rhythm notation? Thanks

[@newyonface3700]

Thank alot man 🎶🙏🙏

[@_adg_0]

I wish I had found a video like this when I was struggling with the difference between 3/4 and 6/8. I think Abel Korzeniowski's Evgeni's Waltz is in 3/8

[@AntonioRockGP]

In most pop/rock the strong beats on the 4/4 are actually 2 and 4. It's were the snare hits and it's were people clap naturally to the song. 6/8 is VERY different from 3/4. 6/8 is actually felt like a slow 4/4 but with 2 quitter beats between each strong beat. 3/4 is unmistakably 3 beats.

[@samuraiguitarist]

So that's a good point. In pop and rock music the 2 and 4 are not any different in the underlying rhythmic expectantion. The strongest beats are still the 1 and 3. We clap and put the snare on 2 and 4 to even out the bar and propel the music forward. If it were on the 1 and 3 there is too much weight and it feels heavy or dead.

[@AntonioRockGP]

samuraiguitarist Fair enough. I can't help but always feel the 2 and 4 as the strongest beats... When I play guitar I always lock very easily with the snare. I always use dinamics and play louder on 2 and 4. When I grab the bass I have to focus hard to play with the kick on the 1 and 3... Maybe that's because I play guitar for so many years lol

[@MrRobotoDomo]

Sensei notice me.. what is that software running on your mbp?

[@TheStudioDrummer]

Note from a drummer: EXCELLENT VIDEO.:^)

[@gabrielchiasson6594]

really nice video

[@Dozerson2]

8:44 - 8:58. I'm confused, it sounds the same.

[@johnmotherfuckincoltrane1242]

Uploaded on my birthday!

[@adisillusionedidiotandpast7865]

Look at any song on And Justice For All... many time signatures.... many

[@kilroyfrills3084]

I guess you didn't mention how crazy metal time signatures can get to keep it simple. e.g. Meshugga

[@ArchonLicht]

This was all simple. Well laid out though. Keep it up.

[@Ben-el8cr]

This just occurred to me, but I'm pretty sure that fur elise by Beethoven is actually in 3/8

[@alexanderkorte-stapff6824]

Now that we got that out of the way, can we finally get to polyrhythms please?

[@ebiigweze3384]

I love the hair and beard...please can you wear a kimono, you already look badass with that hair style...I swear you be a badass samurai...i love it.

[@alexgarcia8365]

Can you do a tutorial on songs you make?

[@silent-trouble]

dumb question regarding the beat emphasis. why cant the emphasis be on beat two for example?

[@samuraiguitarist]

If you emphasized beat 2 + 4 why not just think of them as 1 and 3?

[@silent-trouble]

Thanks for the reply. I thought it would make a difference in feel. Maybe I am confusing this with accents when strumming?

[@smorrow]

You can put the emphasis wherever you want using the accent symbol. Find 'The Augurs of Spring' with a score on KZbin and look at the 2/4 part.

[@Randomsae]

"We'll look into some times where this is not the case later." I see what you did there

[@qanda6229]

I am confusion

[@kamogadouglas9369]

thanks

[@jacksondian595]

can you make a video about syncopation? much appericated

[@sallybowles2781]

the most important question is: how do you get those eyebrows?!

[@ikuistaja]

👏🏽thanks

[@jackl-g6181]

This made me understand the un-understandable :)

[@noomah4790]

I love rhythm

[@mcspankey4810]

Well I've been down so god damn long That it looks like up to me

[@elliotskunk]

y0 what about a dot next to a triplet 🤔🤔

[@jeremycf5122]

If you want to learn how to count 5/4 listen to the guitar in the song 5/4 by Gorillaz

[@thejimmymeister]

Bolero, Beck's Bolero, and the intro part of White Room (some people call it the bolero section; you can probably guess why) are also good to listen to for getting the feel of 5/4.

[@DrowningTimeOfficially]

nice

[@danydandan1816]

lit

[@Bennoguitar]

I love you

[@saulortiz431]

Does 6th count?

[@KlesierTheSurvivor]

meanwhile i'm fighting with guitar pro that 81/16 is a possible time signature... damn programs and their hate to prog..

[@smorrow]

Why are you writing such top-heavy time signatures? Split it up.

[@corey4448]

Open vid and see his walls Me: yooooo

[@ethancook7573]

used this for music project, passed!

[@loopiloop]

Whenever someone says that a quarter is called a quarter of a bar I get this uneasy feeling. Teaching people highly inaccurate things for sake of simplicity doesn't feel right. I feel like it creates unnecessary confusion.

[@alisonlewis2123]

Please avoid cutting out each pause between each statement you make. The listener needs that pause to process the information.

[@DavidNwokoye]

ain't got no rhythm. (phineas and ferb reference)

[@PrinceWesterburg]

I'm not Catholic either! :D

[@smorrow]

Which in turn was a reference to "I've got rhythm"

[@gregslawson5784]

If you want some fun testing yourself on music terms, instruments, history, performance, media, and dozens of music styles, you might enjoy my music quizzes--fun stuff! www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08D8QQ43N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_image_o03?ie=UTF8&psc=1