Rhythm Question: Trying to figure out the down beat and up beat of this song.

[Raul2020]

Song: Kind of Hush All Over The World by Herman's Hermits

Original is in Key of C. Sheet Music in Bb.

Measure 2:

"All over the world"

The word  "All" is on the up beat after beat Two. 
I hear that clearly.

Measure 4:

 I am hearing that the word "All" is on the down beat. Exactly on the down beat of beat  2, even though the sheet notates it incorrectly as happening  on the up beat after beat Two.

I listened many times, by slowing the speed on YouTube, and it is clearly on the down beat of beat  2.

Am I hearing this correctly?

Yes,I am very  aware that  sheet music is often inacuurate. That is not the point.

I just want to confirm my hearing of the down beat on the word "All", in Measure 4 is correct.









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1MV-Jy_Bog

[DarrellW]

This is a pretty decent tutorial that should answer your questions, it’s also worth using it to learn it!

[Raul2020]

Yes, I have the chords and strumming down.

My question relates to the melody of the song on the original recording. I am hearing the first  "All" landing on the upbeat after Beat 2 and  I am hearing the second "All" landing  firmly on the downbeat  of Beat 2.

 I want to confirm  that my transcribing  skills are correct.

[sairfingers]

I can’t help you with the transcribing, but thank you so much for reminding me of a song I’d forgotten about.
Great tutorial link there Darrell. That’s my afternoon sorted!

[DarrellW]

I can’t help you with the transcribing, but thank you so much for reminding me of a song I’d forgotten about.
Great tutorial link there Darrell. That’s my afternoon sorted!

I thought that, and tbh I think it answered the OP!

[Raul2020]

That is a fine instructional  video on strumming but it does not answer my question.

My question is very basic and it  relates to the original recording and  just the opening vocal line:

 "There's a kind of hush. All over the world. Tonight. All over the world".

This is what I am hearing:
 
The lyric "All" lands on the upbeat the first time in measure 2. That is fine and agrees with the sheet music.


The lyric  "All" lands on the downbeat  in measure 4. That is in conflict with the sheet music which indicates "All" lands on the upbeat.

The sheet music indicates that "All" lands on the upbeat both times. I am hearing it differently. Upbeat in measure 2  the first time and downbeat in measure 4.

I want to confirm that my EARS are correct and that the sheet music is incorrect.

Of course, playing it either way works, but I want to confirm that I am hearing it correctly.

Hopefully, someone can answer as it is a relatively simple question... Just want to confirm  that the second "All" is landing on the downbeat in the recording, even though the sheet music indicates it is landing on the upbeat.

[glpguitar]

The music sheet is incorrect. "All" comes on the second beat as you said.

[Raul2020]

Thanks! My timing and hearing sucks and wanted to confirm... Sheet music that is in conflict with recording also confuses me more.

I slowed it down and YouTube and clearly heard "All" landing on the upbeat the first time and on the downbeat the second time.

It is interesting to note that singing it either way sounds acceptable, since we are dealing singing on either the downbeat of beat two or the upbeat of beat two.

It is not as critical as, for example, dealing with the downbeat of beat one and  the upbeat of beat one.

In general, beat one is more critical to the melody line, and changing the melody from downbeat to upbeat on beat ONE  usually does not work as well. Must be careful on beat ONE.

[glpguitar]

Yeah, I know how you feel when the score says something completely off. I have a pretty decent rhythm but I did go through it a few times just so I was absolutely sure I am not telling lies because "the score never lies" .

I am thinking this real time, so it may not be the most optimal exercise but if you want to work on your rhythm, take a metronome, set the tempo to 40-60BPM 4/4 and pick/strum/clap/sing/snap your fingers/tap your foot/etc. first on quarter notes, then go eights, then go 16ths, then go triplets. I think this is where most of players would stop and it is enough for a big % of the music in the world.

Oh and let's take this a bit further. I assume you're practicing this exercise with strumming. Mute the strings with your fretting hand, and do the above. Once you become consistent and you develop really good 16th notes, you might want to work on your accents as well (I would say most people connect this to funk music - I also saw variations of this exercise in multiple books and videos regarding funk rhythm guitar).

You play 16th notes but every bar you accent one of the "1 e & or a".

1   e   &   a   2   e   &   a   3   e   &   a   4   e   &   a

1   e   &   a   2   e   &   a   3   e   &   a   4   e   &   a

1   e   &   a   2   e   &   a   3   e   &   a   4   e   &   a

1   e   &   a   2   e   &   a   3   e   &   a   4   e   &   a

And you keep repeating this until you can talk to other people and still doing it on time . I am faaaar from reaching that point but one day, I'll get there!

Oh and another tip:
If you want to check how accurate your rhythm is to an extreme, you might want to record yourself to a click track. Then zoom in the waveform (any audio editing software will do, Audacity as well) and you will see if metronome and your strum align. And believe me, this will not make you a robot. Once you "lock it in", your groove gets better as well. But it will allow you to go on some "dodgy rhythmic journeys and still land on the beat when the chorus starts" (sorry, a terrible explanation)