Not a musician, but what is 7/8ths time?

[Steely Dan]

I'm stuck on the boss where they introduce irregular time signatures, and the advice was "drum on the table in seven eights". Usually the tutorials let you practice new concepts, but I don't even know what they're talking about, let alone any practice. Besides throwing myself at the boss fight (where I also have to deal with visual distortions), is there a way to practice this?

[Rotom]

I'm not a musician so I can't describe it in music terms, but I can describe it in gameplay terms and give you some advice there.

So the normal 7 beat setup is actually 8 beats, or rather 7 and a rest. it goes 1-2-3-4-5-6-go-and 1-2-3-4-5-6-go-and with you hitting on GO. when it swaps to 7/8 it basically just deletes that and so now you have 1-2-3-4-5-6-go 1-2-3-4-5-6-go. Try counting it like that in your head, should help. I'd suggesting using go instead of 7 because 7 is too long due to the double syllables. It's at a fast tempo too so it'll likely sound more like 1-2-3-4-5-6-go1-2-3-4-5-6-go, but you should be able to get the hang of it using that count.

Hope this helps!

[EzekielJK]

Basically, its referencing a thing called a "time signature" and, if you're looking at sheet music, it looks like two numbers piled on top of each other on the left side of a measure. [smartbassguitar.com] As I'm sure you've probably figured out, it's the way we figure out how to keep time during a song. (Here's some sheet music that I found online that's in 7/8 time. [skybluemusic.com] Don't worry about all of it. I'll explain what you need to know.)

In sheet music, we split up small chunks of the song into things called measures. Looking back at the sheet for Sabre Dance in 7/8, those are split up by the thin vertical lines that are evenly spaced throughout the song. Without getting too far into music theory, the 7 part in 7/8 says that there's seven beats in a measure. The 8, therefore, tells us exactly what type of note is given exactly one beat. In this case, those are the eighth notes[www.bethsnotesplus.com] and eighth rests [static.thenounproject.com]. From there, the rest of the notes start to make a little bit more sense. Here's a little chart for reference. [i.etsystatic.com] Just focus on the top row and the two clefs and remember your fractions from 3rd grade math.

So, all that together, what does that mean? Well, in the Sabre Dance example, that means that those notes on the treble clef all get exactly one beat each, seven beats per measure to be exact. The notes on the bass clef are quarter notes (double an eighth note) so there are three quarter notes (3 notes * 2 beats = 6 beats) and another eighth (3(2) + 1 = 7).

And in the context of Rhythm Doctor? Well, basically, you tap on your desk seven times with the song going "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7..." and start over. To be honest, this game pretends to require music theory but it really doesn't. Battleworm Insomniac has a really neat composition but stressing out about it is probably worse than just trying it until you get it.

I hope this helps! If this made sense to you at all then congratulations, you probably know enough to play percussion in the local band, I kid you not.

[Live Long and Prosper]

Honestly, probably the best way for a beginner to count 7/8's time is to not actually count from one to eight. The way I was taught when I was young was to establish a mental count of, "1, AND, 2, AND, 3, AND, 4, AND, 1, AND, 2..." circling back around again until the end of the song. The numbers would be the on beats and the AND's your off beats.

This is simpler because you don't have to mentally keep up a count to eight over and over, and it avoids the problem of mentally counting out a multi-syllable beat which can throw off your rhythm. Using this method, when you hit FOUR, you're at the seventh beat of eight, and the next AND is the eight and final beat before you circle back.

Once you get the 1, AND, 2, AND, 3, AND, 4, AND rhythm in your head, it becomes a lot easier to get through the tougher songs without relying of visuals or even keeping track of the multiple songs song lines introduced at times that rely on a common beat.

[Caros Wulf]

Originally posted by 30phil1:

Basically, its referencing a thing called a "time signature" and, if you're looking at sheet music, it looks like two numbers piled on top of each other on the left side of a measure. [smartbassguitar.com] As I'm sure you've probably figured out, it's the way we figure out how to keep time during a song. (Here's some sheet music that I found online that's in 7/8 time. [skybluemusic.com] Don't worry about all of it. I'll explain what you need to know.)

In sheet music, we split up small chunks of the song into things called measures. Looking back at the sheet for Sabre Dance in 7/8, those are split up by the thin vertical lines that are evenly spaced throughout the song. Without getting too far into music theory, the 7 part in 7/8 says that there's seven beats in a measure. The 8, therefore, tells us exactly what type of note is given exactly one beat. In this case, those are the eighth notes[www.bethsnotesplus.com] and eighth rests [static.thenounproject.com]. From there, the rest of the notes start to make a little bit more sense. Here's a little chart for reference. [i.etsystatic.com] Just focus on the top row and the two clefs and remember your fractions from 3rd grade math.

So, all that together, what does that mean? Well, in the Sabre Dance example, that means that those notes on the treble clef all get exactly one beat each, seven beats per measure to be exact. The notes on the bass clef are quarter notes (double an eighth note) so there are three quarter notes (3 notes * 2 beats = 6 beats) and another eighth (3(2) + 1 = 7).

And in the context of Rhythm Doctor? Well, basically, you tap on your desk seven times with the song going "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7..." and start over. To be honest, this game pretends to require music theory but it really doesn't. Battleworm Insomniac has a really neat composition but stressing out about it is probably worse than just trying it until you get it.

I hope this helps! If this made sense to you at all then congratulations, you probably know enough to play percussion in the local band, I kid you not.

Awesome examples, thanks

[KoalaCanuck]

i really want to see some songs in 5/4

[Ryu Sei]

I'm an amateur composer, so I will try to explain this in the most amateur explanation as possible.

Dealing with 1-XN (Super Battleworn Insomniac), I don't rely on counting up to 8 because my internal counting will be screwed up. Instead, just follow the users above recommending.

Originally posted by Live Long and Prosper:

The way I was taught when I was young was to establish a mental count of, "1, AND, 2, AND, 3, AND, 4, AND, 1, AND, 2..." circling back around again until the end of the song. The numbers would be the on beats and the AND's your off beats.

I'm agree with this, and this is way simpler to count. Especially in faster songs where your internal count can't keep up, just count in slower direction. Usually, on 7/8s, the intended "in-game" counting is...

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 2, ...

But make it simpler like that, so it will be...

1, AND, 2, AND, 3, AND, 4, 1, AND, ...

If you know how to skip beats, omit "AND" and do it like...

1, ..., 2, ..., 3, ..., 4, 1, ..., 2, ...

Basically, on the count 4, count faster before count normally.

[HULK JUMPER]

Pretend that 1-X has an invisible 8th beat after the 7th beat (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, *8*, 1...)

now skip past that invisible 8th beat and go directly to 1 again, counting up to 7 at the same pace (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1...)

that's 7/8th time

idk how to even count 7/8ths time in 1-XN with all of that glitching anyways

[Ryu Sei]

Originally posted by HULK JUMPER:

idk how to even count 7/8ths time in 1-XN with all of that glitching anyways

Need to have stronk internal rhythm sense to clear it, I basically cleared it blindfolded.

[giacomopc]

Originally posted by KoalaCanuck:

i really want to see some songs in 5/4

That's Helping Hands!