Happy Birthday

6. Watch this one,Happy Birthday.

Happybirth-day toyou,
Happybirth-day toyou.

The first step

  (a) At the smallest level (beating all the shortest notes), the feet will beat quite fast.
     Remember that you do not know if this smallest level is binary or ternary.
          Try binary first, listen to the words, and if it feels uncomfortable, try ternary.
     On the very first note,
          start onR,L, or possiblyT, and see if you end onR.

Once you have found on which foot to start, check by looking at theAnimation
     as you see, this level starts onR.
This is a binary level and
     you will have the feeling of Beats and Off-beats at this smallest level.
Repeat it several times to get this feeling into the feet .
     Notice how the Melody and the Words fit with the feet.
     Notice that, on the third, fourth, fifth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh notes,
          there were two beats, and
     on the sixth and last notes there were four beats.
          These notes are proportionally longer than the others.
     Notice also that, on these longer notes,
          the feet wereR-L, orR-L-R-L, as they should be in a subdivision.

Since this level started onR(a Beat),
     it will not produce a pick-up at the next larger level.

The second step

(b) At the next larger level, the feet will beat twice as slowly.
     On the very first note,
          start onR,L, or possiblyT, and see if you end onR.
               Remember that the level might be binary or ternary.
                    Pay special attention to the wordBirth-day which should beRLand notLR.

Once you have found on which foot to start, check by looking at theAnimation
     as you see, this level starts onT.
This is a ternary level, and
     you will have the feeling of Beats and Off-beats at this next larger level.
Repeat it several times to get this feeling into the feet .
     Notice how the Melody and the Words fit with the feet.

Since this level started onT(an Off-beat),
     it will produce a 2-note pick-up at the next larger level.

The third step

(c) At the next larger level, the feet will beat three times as slowly,
     There will be a pick-up of 2 notes. Do not start beating too soon.
          As you sing the melody, on the third note,
          start on eitherR,L, or possiblyT, and see if you end onR.
               Remember that the level might be binary or ternary.

Once you have found on which foot to start, check by looking at theAnimation
     as you see, this level starts onL.
This is a binary level and
     you will have the feeling of Beats and Off-beats at this larger level.
Repeat it several times to get this feeling into the feet.
     Notice how the Melody and the Words fit with the feet.
     Notice that the longest note of the melody is
          not longer than the Beats of this level.
We have foundLevel 0,
     and there is no point in seeingLevel +1,Level +2... which are all binary.
We now know that the smaller levels were what we callLevel -3andLevel -2-1,
          because a ternary level occupies the space of 2 binary levels.
     Notice thatHappy Birthdayhad smallLevel -3andLevel -2-1, but
          thatOh, Where, Oh Wherehad smallLevel -3-2andLevel -1.
     Each had a binary and a ternary level but they were not in the same order.
  

Those on a guided Tour should click onin the Navigation Bar below.

Those browsing should really watch this one,Down In The Valley.