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Hello everyone!

OK, I'm still working through various meter issues, but I'm not quite sure what to do when a song or part of a song doesn't really have much of a beat to it. I've worked out the meter for this short sample, but looking back, I seem to be using it to group notes in the melody more than anything. Also, are meter changes in such a basic piece an indication that I'm doing something wrong? I go from 4/4 to 3/4 to 5/4. Should I be considering a tempo change instead of a meter change?

I would include a longer sample, but there is no more. I've been sick and this is all I seem to come up with right now. I'll probably end up scrapping it, but still, I would love to know if I got the meter right. Thanks for any input you can provide!

OK, here are the files:
Music (MP3)
Score (PDF)

Thanks again for any guidance. I hope to get some full songs going soon... I've just been so dang busy with other things. Oh yeah, we all get that.

dave

Why not try to fit the whole thing in 3/4? That seems to be the primary rhythm. So shorten measures 2 and 4, and lengthen 7 and 8. Just a suggestion.

I have no problem with the mixed meter - if that's the metrical idea you want to get across, then by all means use mixed meter. Just because a piece is "basic" doesn't mean that you can't throw in meter changes - look at the early volumes of Bartok's Mikrokosmos - those pieces are relatively easy and mix meters all over the place.

I agree with 8ude. If that is how you like the music to be, then the meters are correct and there is absolutely no reason for you to change the music or the meters.

Hey guys,

Thanks for responding. OK, I'm glad to hear that mixed meters are not necessarily a cause for concern. I'm not used to seeing them all that often, but as pointed out, they do exist. 8ude, thanks for the Bartok reference. Wow, he did a lot of writing. I've looked at some of his stuff and I'll keep trying to get a hold of some of the earlier (i.e. easier) volumes of the Mikrokosmos.

Thanks again,
dave

If I had the recording and was asked to transcribe it, I would've used the same meters. Looks good to me.

If I had the recording and was asked to transcribe it, I would've used the same meters. Looks good to me.

Sweet! I'll try to not let that go to my head. But seriously, thanks a lot for taking a listen and a look.

dave

It's fine like this, it's better to have the meter follow the music phrasing than otherwise.

But it's very easy so you have nothing to worry about. I would suggest you look at Debussy, Bartok and Schoenberg piano pieces for their meter work and other indications.

I think it's okay, but if you're really that bothered, I would say try to stick to one meter and do note/tempo changes instead.

Hey, thanks for the added input!

but if you're really that bothered

It really doesn't bother me. In fact, it seemed like the most "natural" way to deal with it to me. However, I'm still pretty new to writing scores, and a lot of basic music like this seems to stick with one meter, and a few people have suggested that I "keep it simple"... but this seemed the best and easiest way to match the score to what I had played. So that's why I posed the question. But the more I read, the more I'm thinking that mixed meters really aren't such a big deal. In fact, I think I'd rather use a mixed meter than a mixed tempo. But maybe that wouldn't be a big deal either? I don't know. Probably the best advice would be to use what is appropriate for the music. In any event, I'll keep practicing.

Thanks again for the advice!
dave