"Charge!" What's the rhythm?

Cafe Society
#1

Hello all!

In full disclosure, this is part of work on my master’s thesis. It has been 6 years since I’ve had to do a rhythmic dictation course. Clearly, I could use a refresher. But I’m trying to avoid telling my supervisor I can’t figure out the rhythm of the “charge” anthem from the hockey organ.

http://img694.imageshack.us/i/charged.jpg/

Frankly, I’m not convinced that it’s always the same rhythm. But I know that what I put into finale (see above) is not right. Any suggestions from people with better ears as to where I’m missing?

Thanks!

#2

Try 3 eighth note triplets, followed by a quarter and eighth, also triplets. Sorry, I don’t have a notation program handy.

Or you could notate it in 6/8 time…3 eighths, quarter, eighth, eighth. Then the last, held note for whatever length you want, perhaps with a fermata?

#3

Was it really that simple? :confused:

Yes. Yes it was. My musician creds seem damaged at the moment. Thanks just the same!!! :smiley:

#4

No problem. You were probably trying to shoehorn the notes into 4/4 time when the first 3 (Da-da-da) suggest a triplet feel.

#5

If you really need to be accurate, it should be noted that “Charge” is a bugle call, not an organ anthem.

And here’s the notation:

Charge!

#6

There is indeed the Charge bugle call, shown here, but your link is to the fanfare used for cheers, which is not a bugle call. They’re two different animals.

#7

Well, this is getting more and more embarassing. I really should have googled this first. :smack:

Thanks!

#8

I agree with Musicat; the eighth note triplets should be followed by a quarter/eighth triplet, not a dotted eighth/sixteenth. Less stiff…more swing. I guess it depends on what feel the organist is going for.

#9

I see that as kind of a short cut notation sometimes, instead of a note that says “swing eighths” and then notating it in straight eight notes, or as a quarter-eighth triplet. As you allude, though, swing is kind of a personal thing, and the ratio of the first (elongated) eighth note to the second (shortened) eighth note varies based on the performer. I’ve heard the charge played with 2:1 swing (quarter:eighth triplet) to a bouncier 3:1 (dotted eighth to sixteenth) feel. And in between, of course (as well as something closer to, but not quite, straight eighths.)

#10

Thanks for agreeing with me, but in defense of the referenced notation, triplet feel is often notated as dotted eighth+sixteenth (a 3:1 ratio instead of 2:1). Jazz musicians will routinely play that as triplets, with a swing feel.

However, triplet notation and dotted-eighth/sixteenth isn’t usually mixed in the same tune; it’s all one or the other.

Notating as 6/8 time is even better, where the main beats are already subdivided in threes, and you avoid a forest of "–3--"s.