> The table of the seven modes of time was a little compressed in my
> earlier post, with one glaring keystroke error, (thanks Chris N.)

> Here it is more clearly laid out.

> ** Seven Modes of Time in the Sacred Harp Rudiments:  1844 to present

>                              Common
> Triple                    Compound
> first mode:             'two over two'   'three over two'    'six over
> four'
> second mode:       'four over four'  'three over four'   'six over
> eight'
> third mode:            'two over four'      - - - -
> - - - -

> Tom M

> On Jul 8, 12:40 pm, Thomas Malone <shapen...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > WARNING : This is a long email. Please skip it if you are not interested!
> >  Thanks!
> > If you* are* interested please go slowly, I packed a lot of stuff in
> here.
> >  Whoo-wee!!!!

> >  : P

> > Hello all... Tom Malone here.

> > I was born and raised in Vermont, and learned to sing Sacred Harp both
> there
> > and in Massachusetts, so I can represent, for the sake of this
> discussion, a
> > typical "Northern Singer".

> > I think we can all agree that because of where I first learned to sing
> and
> > beat time, my initial learning could hardly be considered traditional.

> > Then, four years ago, I went to Camp.

> > This was the first year that Hugh McGraw taught rudiments classes for
> both
> > youth and adults.

> > Here I heard him say a phrase that he uses in all of his singing schools,
> > "We have seven modes of time, three of common, two of triple, and two of
> > compound."

> > In that moment, I quickly realized that I needed to set aside my previous
> > training and "become a beginner" because I, and many other "northern
> > singers" who had not sat in singing school before--- didn't even know
> what a
> > "mode of time" was!

> > We, "in the North," tend to think of songs as being "in two", "in three",
> or
> > even "in four" -- but none of these labels are correct, without fully
> > understanding the seven modes of time.
> > The 'modes of time' govern speed, rhythm, length of notes, and the
> placement
> > of accent in every song. They are as follows.

> >                          *  Common                 Triple
> >  Compound*
> > First mode:           *'four over four' *        'three over two'
> 'six
> > over four'*
> > Second mode:      '*four over four'         'three over four'       'six
> > over eight'*
> > Third mode:          *'two over four' *           - - - -
> >       - - - -

> >       (*The use of the word 'over' can be traced back to the 1844
> > rudiments.)

> > They are not the same as "meters" as taught in University schools of
> music
> > or music education.  (see the chapter in my dissertation 'Modes of Time
> are
> > not Meters'.**)

> > This realization was the beginning of my dissertation project, with the
> > hypothesis that many differences between so-called Northern and Southern
> > practice could be attributed to difference in awareness of the rudiments
> as
> > 'teaching and learning' rather than as variations due to aural tradition
> or
> > folk-practice.

> > ** For example we think that "four four" is a meter, but in Sacred Harp *
> > meter* is an aspect of poetry!  e.g. Long meter, short meter, 7's and 6's
> > etc.... these are meters.

> > In the North, we have no trouble describing four four time as being "in
> > two", but it is not in two.  It can't be.

> > Only the first mode, (two-two) and the third mode (two-four) of common
> time
> > can be "in two" because the top number tells you 'how many', and the
> bottom
> > number 'what kind" of notes 'or their equivalent' will fill a measure of
> > time.  So, no matter how you beat it 'four over four" will continue to
> have
> > four beats time in it.

> > Because -- "Four over four" is not a meter at all -- it is actually
> > the*second mode of common time
> > *.

> > A measure of which, contains four beats of musical *time*, indicated with
> > two strokes of the hand. The musical beats of one and two are both found
> on
> > the downward stroke, and the musical beats of three and four are on the
> > upward stroke, with the hand rising to four in order to complete the
> > measure.  I believe Henry and Warren made this point in different ways
> > earlier. (see the graphic below, or attached illustration)

> > *one      two      three    four*
> > down -  down    up    -    up

> > This manner of beating four four time differs from what University music
> and
> > music education programs call 'cut-time', in which the half note 'gets
> the
> > beat' -- and is this "in two" -- which might be understood like this:

> > *one*      (and)   *two*    (and)
> > bottom  rise    top      fall

> > The wording of the 1991 rudiments place the beat at "the bottom of the
> > stroke" which may appear to describe the latter of these two methods. But
> > this widespread practice of beating in 'cut-time' is probably more due to
> > the influence of other forms of choral training among newer SH singers
> over
> > the last 20 years than any technical discrepancy in the printed
> rudiments.
> > This reality has gradually given rise to the widespread idea that the
> second
> > mode of common time can and should be beat "in two".

> > If you are already exhausted by this email, you can stop here and come
> back
> > later....  : )

> > Believe me as a "Northern singer" I had to re-learn all of this over the
> > past four years, especially the beating of 'four four time' ---  and the
> > fundamental question "where is the one?" (primary accent).

> > But in close study with the many of finest teachers of the 1991 book, who
> > were mentored and taught by J.E. Kitchens, A.M Cagle, and H.N. McGraw
> etc.,
> > I have come to see that the "down down up up" approach is able to provide
> > better accent in the second mode of common time, a fact which the recent
> > recordings from Camp can attest to.

> > Consider: These three teachers taught and learned from the 1936 Paine
> Denson
> > rudiments, which instruct that the "primary accent comes and is placed on
> > the first part of the measure when the hand *starts down* in marking time
> to
> > the right of the measure bar." (emphasis in bold added)

> > Each of these thre teachers (Mr. Cagle, H.N. McGraw, Elder Kitchens) had
> the
> > same primary mentor in teaching, and that was Thomas J. Denson.  He
> > inititally learned from the B.F. White Rudiments and taught largely from
> the
> > James 1911 rudiments, which describe the placement of the primary accent
> (or
> > one) in nearly the same language retained by Paine Denson.

> > I have worked closely with Hugh McGraw on this exact question, and he has
> > demonstrated to me numerous times that in four four time, the muscial
> counts
> > of one and two are on the downward stroke, and three and four are on the
> > upward stroke. therefore "down-down, up-up" completes a measure of four
> four
> > time.  (again see attached graphic)
> > This is not to say that everyone does it this way --  : )

> > But then again, if you sing every song extremely fast, then it doesn't
> > really matter, because you have essentially shifted permanently into the
> > third mode of common time (2/4).  This is one of the main reasons why Mr.
> > Jeff Sheppard as been encouraging us to "slow down and feel the accent".
> >  When he was quoted in an interview saying that the Northern singers are
> > faster than the Southern, some thought he was kidding, but the failure to
> > observe the secondary accent because we race through songs in four four
> time
> > is a large part of what he was referring to.  And this is because "in the
> > North" we have tended to view all three modes of common time as being,
> "in
> > two".

> > BUT - our understanding of modes of time is improving and therefore we in
> > the 'cold and frosty North' are learning to accent better in four four
> time!
> > And for learners of all ages to improve gradually by being repeatedly
> > exposed to and taken through the rudiments, is traditional!

> > J.E. Kitchens, A.M Cagle, and H.N. McGraw were more than just
> "traditional
> > singers," they were teachers of the rudiments.  Sacred Harp is just as
> much
> > a tradition of teaching as it is a tradition of singing.  These three men
> > were also the teachers and mentors of the elder generation who teaches at
> > Camp Fasola today.

> > They have something else in common as well -- each of them were taught
> how
> > "to teach the rudiments" by Mr. Tom Denson.

> > Consider that Jeff Sheppard learned to sing mostly from his father, who
> > successfully invited Tom Denson to stay at his house and teach -- and he
> > stayed and taught for two whole years!

> > So, unless you think all of these teachers were beating four four time
> > differently than most of us due to a lack of awareness of a better way,
> and
> > that, if they knew better-- they would do it "in two" like us, we should
> > consider their practice as more than simply traditional.

> > The cognitive dissonance we feel when presented with this 'down-down,
> up-up'
> > approach and the new location of "one" near the middle rather than at the
> > bottom of the stroke is simply an improvement of our understanding of the
> > second mode of common time.  Or at least the awareness of new
> possibilities.

> > Which is helpful, because it is the most 'common' of all the modes of
> time,
> > and the one we use the most often.

> > As noted earlier, the 1936 rudiments tell us "leaders assume a good deal
> of
> > discretion, and vary somewhat in the manner of beating or marking
> > time." and *nobody* wants to be told they are doing it wrong, so it is
> also
> > traditional to let each leader decide on their own way to give their
> lesson,
> > without the class unnecessarily correcting or overriding them.  In the
> > Sacred Harp we are all teachers, singers, and learners and no one person
> can
> > 'know it all' but we can all make an effort.

> > I personally find the illustration in the attachment offers new
> > possibilities for personal and regional diversity in accent -- and four
> > years into practicing it, I known I still have a long way to go.... but
> know
> > I want to make the effort to improve.

> > There is so much more we can learn.... in time, in tune, and in accent.

> > Now let's sing!

> > Tom Malone

> > P.S.  I would be glad to dialogue more 'off-list' with anyone on these
> 'deep
> > water' questions, or by telephone. My number is in the minutes book.

> > P.S.S. Yes, I just finished a dissertation on exactly this question. So
> > plese orgive the length and throughness of my
> > reponse, as well as any typoes or inconsistencies with quotes or
> > spacing, I have learned that I am better at content than formatting.

> > On Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 9:02 PM, Wade Kotter<wadekot...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> > > Here's a link to the Mount Pleasant Youtube video:

> > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_GSEjbMY64

> > > Wade Kotter
> > > South Ogden, UT

> > > --- On Mon, 7/6/09, John Garst <ga...@chem.uga.edu> wrote:

> > >> Warren, is it the MOUNT PLEASANT Youtube video, Mike and
> > >> Syd

> > ...

> > read more »

> >  four over four illustration.jpg
> > 46KViewDownload