Author Question: How can Ewe musicians imply both a six-feel beat background and a four-feel beat at the same time? ... (Read 23 times)

cnetterville · **on:** Jul 25, 2018

How can Ewe musicians imply both a six-feel beat background and a four-feel beat at the same time? See if you can diagram a background of twelve eighth-note units (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) and show how this background can be felt as both a four-feel and six-feel beat within which two bell phrase shapes can occur
(L L S L L L S and L S L L L S L).

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

How is a steady tempo and consistent time flow maintained by the Agbekor musicians?

What will be an ideal response?

nanny · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Ewe musicians imply both a six-feel beat and a four-feel beat at the same time by grouping the twelve eighth-note units into six beats with two eighth-note units in each beat (binary beats), while at the same time grouping the twelve eighth-note units into four beats with three eighth-note units in each beat (ternary beats). Now the four- and six-feel beats construct musical reality in two ways at once. See diagram below:
Background units: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Four-Feel Beats: ___________ ____________ ____________
Six-Feel Beats: _______ ______ _______ _______ ________

Bell Phrase Shape: L_ L S_ L_____ L_ L____ S_

Bell Phrase Shape: L___ S L L_ L___ S_ L_______

Background units: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Answer to Question 2

A time-feel (meter) is established by all the performers by maintaining a four feel or background of four ternary beats, each beat containing 3 quicker units within it (similar to a Euro American compound meter of 12/8 where the dotted quarter note is the value of each beat). Remember, however, the author's use of the unconventional time signaturea number over a note value means all beats in the measure have equal weight' or metric stress.1

1 In Euro American metrical music, a natural stress always occurs on the down beat of any grouping of beats, e.g., in 4/4 quadruple meter, the first beat of every four is stressed more than any of the other beats: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 etc. (See also footnote No. 1.)

cnetterville · **Reply 2 on:** Jul 25, 2018

Great answer, keep it coming

gcook

Gracias!