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07-30-2003, 11:40 AM
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#1 of 20 
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Downbeat clapping
After watching the Alison Krauss DVD I was reminded of when my musician friend told me one should not clap on the downbeat but on the upbeat (the audience was clapping on the down as I've seen almost 99% of audiences do). I never got a concrete explanation but the impression was it's more musically sophisticated/knowledgeable to do so and I admit it FEELS more appropriate. Anybody have a more concrete explanation why this is better? And why it almost never seems to happen when a mass audience is involved?
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07-30-2003, 12:05 PM
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#2 of 20
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when you say the downbeat, do you mean 2 and 4 or 1 and 3? I think you mean 2 and 4.
I have been a musician for most of my life and the consensus is, clap on the 2 and 4 unless you're at a Lawrence Welk show 
On the other hand, I think if you are snapping your fingers (ala Bobby Darin) then snap on 1 and 3. It gives a hipper vibe 
"Oh Mikey do you think I even know what the hell they are talking about half the time? I dont know whether they are talking about how hard it is to be adopted or how their father never shows them love. All I do man, is I wrinkle my eyebrows, stare at their lips and somehow I turn out to be some big sweetie." - Trent Walker (Swingers - 1996)
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07-30-2003, 01:01 PM
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#3 of 20
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I meant downbeat as 1 and 3 and upbeat as 2 and 4.
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07-30-2003, 01:13 PM
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#4 of 20
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I think that where you clap varies according to the piece of music, but I agree, most audiences get it hopelessly wrong (am I right in thinking that Billy Joel in his early days used to discourage clapping along for just this reason?).
Two simple facts about audiences at most concerts:
(a) the bigger the venue, the higher the proportion of morons who are there for an evening out and a chance to have a good gossip with their friends (especially during the quiet numbers) rather than listen to the music.
(b) the greater the number of morons, the greater the number of people with no musical sense.
Hence, the greater the probability that they will clap in a dumbass rather than musical fashion.
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07-30-2003, 03:49 PM
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#5 of 20
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The bigger the venue, the more sound propagation delays adversely affect the clapping. Everyone can be clapping at the 'right' time, but this is a relative thing since the sound wave to which they are synchronizing is washing over the crowd and thus arriving to different people at different times. This results in staggered clapping, which again washes back toward the stage and sounds like a big mess.
-JNS
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07-30-2003, 05:15 PM
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#6 of 20
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 i like andrew's explanation better....
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07-30-2003, 09:56 PM
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#7 of 20
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always clap with the snare. clapping with the bass drum (when there are drums) gives me sinus infections.
i'm a drummer and to me people look stupid when clapping with the downbeat.
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07-30-2003, 10:16 PM
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#8 of 20
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Thats funny! |
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07-31-2003, 03:58 PM
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#9 of 20
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I think clapping on the downbeat is also reminiscent of square dancing or a hoedown.
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07-31-2003, 07:16 PM
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#10 of 20
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The clapping is often initiated by the singer at rock concerts, who do so on the downbeat sometimes.
So, it's not wrong. It actually does make sense, because in rock, the accent is on 2 & 4.
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08-01-2003, 02:37 AM
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#11 of 20
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Quote:
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The clapping is often initiated by the singer at rock concerts, who do so on the downbeat sometimes.
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Yes, Mike but there is the definition promulgated by classical musicians that a singer is someone too stupid to play even the viola. |
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