The Steel Guitar Forum

We have a small Gospel group goin, and need to know how to count off our songs so everbody in the band can start at the same time. So, how would you count off 4/4 timing, 2/4 timing, 3/4 timing, and 6/8 timing. I know there are different feels like country shuffle, Ray Price shuffle, straight eight feel etc. But in general how would you count off the above time signatures? Thanks

Terry

There is no way to say without knowing the song and what the pickup notes are. Some songs pickup the 3 and 4 of the first bar so you count 1,2 and the song starts. But really there is no way without knowing the kick off of the song.

You must know the beat the kick off starts on.
You then start the count off with that beat number for the kick off.
in 4/4 time.
In on 2.
count 2,3,4,1, start.
In on 1.
count 1,2,3,4, start.
In on 3 and,
count and,4 and, 1 and, 2 and, 3 start.

In 3/4 time.
in on 2
count 2,3,1,start.
in on 1
count 1,2,3 start.

Others may have different ways.
God Bless

What Gordon said!!!!! God Bless, Whip

If you play with a band that you do not rehearse with, then you can forget it.
They will wait until you are finished with the intro and 3 bars into the song,
That is why the jams are so fun.

This is how I do it and how I like it done:
Start the count with "1", as it's important for everyone to know where the downbeat is. In the examples, commas indicate quarter rests; slashes indicate quarter notes.
4/4 shuffle or straight 8th: 1, 2, 1234 ; if there are pickups, leave out the appropriate numbers, eg.: 1, 2, 12// or 12341///.
3/4 time, 1,,2,,123123 or with a two note pickup: 1,,2,,1231//.
Fast 4/4 or cut time: 1,,,2,,,1,2,1234
If you don't know what the intro is going to be, just say something like: "Two bar count-put the pickups where ya want'em"
It's also helpful to snap, clap, whatever, on 2 & 4 (4/4) or 2 & 3 (3/4) to set the tempo and get everyone's attention before the actual count.

If you play with a band that you do not rehearse with, then you can forget it.
They will wait until you are finished with the intro and 3 bars into the song,

Only if they are paying attention

I can count off a song, but only if I am not the one kicking it off. For some reason I just can't do it.

This makes for an interesting thread. I never knew how to explain it. I just "do it".

This is how I do it and how I like it done:
Start the count with "1", as it's important for everyone to know where the downbeat is. In the examples, commas indicate quarter rests; slashes indicate quarter notes.
4/4 shuffle or straight 8th: 1, 2, 1234 ; if there are pickups, leave out the appropriate numbers, eg.: 1, 2, 12// or 12341///.
3/4 time, 1,,2,,123123 or with a two note pickup: 1,,2,,1231//.
Fast 4/4 or cut time: 1,,,2,,,1,2,1234
If you don't know what the intro is going to be, just say something like: "Two bar count-put the pickups where ya want'em"
It's also helpful to snap, clap, whatever, on 2 & 4 (4/4) or 2 & 3 (3/4) to set the tempo and get everyone's attention before the actual count.

Thanks Steve, that's more like what I was thinkin of.
Thanks to all for replies.

Terry

It's always interesting when your pickup note start on the 2 and the drummer gives you: "one".

Many ways work. The trick is having all band members knowing which method it will be.

i usually start with 'one' and then go to 'two'..etc.

It is basic math.

Knowing the note values of the actual pick up notes enables you to count off correctly.

I usually try to count a full measure; starting on the division of beat that completes the measure to include the pick up notes.

Here's one:

Question: Do you know why line dancers count off the song "Five, Six, Seven, Eight"?

Answer: Because you can't lisp "One, Two, Three, Four"

ne, Two, Thwee, Four