I am a novice student attempting to teach myself music thoery and I've just reached a lesson on syncopation that is rather vague in it's explaination. I understand what syncopation is, moving the accented beat to a weaker beat, what I haven't grasped yet is why and when it's used? Anyone familiar with theory who's willing to give me a brief explaination would be appreciated.

Eh... I'm not familiar with theory, but it is used to add variety and excitement I guess.

Imagine a beat that goes boom, tick, boom, tick, boom, tick, boom... tick

Alright so that was a very bad verbal presentation but if you got what I meant, that last snare hit is not on beat but slightly after. Which is pretty unexpected to the listener and adds excitement ( although if you're dancing to that beat it can add frustration cause your body moves don't "sync up" )

But there can of course be many different types of syncopation in a rhythm, the bass drum can also be placed "off beat" - something I'm sure you've heard in hip-hop A LOT.

Also, syncopation is not for rhytm instruments only, it's used with very successfull results in pop and underground music alike. 50 cent's "in the club" for example has a very catchy syncopated two note theme. A lot of the "funk" in Dr Dre's beats is also the result of syncopated notes on a piano or synth.

Like I said, syncopation can be very exciting and is many times the basis for good hip-hop rhytms and thus also drum and bass or jungle ( because it evolved from sped up hip-hop breakbeats ). In essence, a breakbeat is a regular beat that is "broken" with syncopation. But in reality, there is not much rhytmic music out there that doesn't rely on syncopation to some extent. Trance and techno come to mind as exceptions, but even house music often has some irregular rhytms going on between the regular snare and bass drum hits. Rock too has syncopation in the drumming, but is suprisingly often also without any ( at least the more popular forms of rock ). Most forms of jazz rely HEAVILY on syncopation. Listen to Louis Armstrong play the chorus of a well known song on his horn, and if you can't figure out that there is a difference between his interpretation and the "regular" version then you'll probalby never be able to recognize syncopation. The way the melody skips and hops when he plays it, that's syncopation for you.

Anyways, this would be much easier with audio examples, so I'll see if I can create some later today when I get time.

The easiest way to learn how to recognize syncopation is with a drum machine or equivalent computer software. I recommend downloading a demo of FL studio ( google it ) and try out aranging some drum patterns.

It's not that it's off beat it's just that the accent is moved.. it still stays on beat. Like if the timing were to be 4/4.... it would usually put an emphasis on the first beat.. like: ONE two three four ONE two three four ONE two three four. It's to help identify the beginning of the next measure. However sometimes there are little accent marks that look like this > and whatever note they are over is supposed to become the emphasized beat. So if there's an accent mark over the second beat in the first measure it'd look like: one TWO three four ONE two three four ONE two three four... etc.

What I'm unclear about is the assignment in the book gives 3 bars of sheet music in which I'm supposed to know which notes should get accent marks and which ones shouldn't.. and I'm lost.

Seems to me like you pretty much understand syncopation, but the theory is the problem. Like I said, I don't think I can really help you with the theory, but what exactly is the text that goes along with that assignment?

"Special effects may be aquired in music by placing special accents (>) or emphasis on different beats of parts of a beat. Whenever a natural accent or strong beat is moved from it's natural place to a weak beat, usually by means of tying over a note from a weak beat to a strong beat, we have syncopation.

Here are some examples of syncopation showing you how to write the beats below and the accent marks (>) above the notes."

Then it gives examples of syncopation in 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 timing but I can't really distinguish a pattern enough to fully understand when notes should be given accent marks. That's pretty much the only part I don't understand.

Maybe there is no apparent pattern but rather just some examples on the use of accent marks? I mean, you can use accent marks whatever way you like, there doesn't need to be a pattern. ( although it would be strange for a beginners book not to include any typical swing styles that are pattern based )

I assume you know how to read notes btw?



Also, does noone else read this thread? Not much help to be had...

Well it is a theory workbook so for the most part there's always been a right and a wrong answer.. I'm guessing that this is no different. And yes I know how to read notes.

And yeah it seems not many people know/care but I appreciate you trying to help.