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Topic: ben folds' "The Luckiest" (Read 3914 times) previous topic - next topic

ben folds' "The Luckiest"

I'm transcribing "The Luckiest" from Ben Folds, and I'm having serious tempo issues.  Anyone who knows that song knows that it's consistently slowing down and then speeding up every few measures.  I put in ritardandos and stringendos where I think they should be, but it really didn't change much, if anything.  I was never good with tempos, so I have no idea what to do when it comes to tempo variances.  If anyone knows the song, or knows a lot about tempos, please help!

Re: ben folds' "The Luckiest"

Reply #1 –
You have to put the new metronome markings after the rit etc where you want it to slow to.

Re: ben folds' "The Luckiest"

Reply #2 –
As Ilucy says, you need to insert a "target" tempo marking after each tempo variance command, so the program knows how much to slow things down by.  You'll possibly want to hide that tempo marking.

Another technique which isn't so elegant is just to insert a new tempo every beat during the bars that are subject to the deceleration or acceleration.  Create a "conductor" staff full of quarter notes or rests, and hide it when printing out.  If you use notes rather than rests, you'll want this staff to be muted, of course.

Re: ben folds' "The Luckiest"

Reply #3 –
"Create a "conductor" staff full of quarter notes or rests,"

Brilliant idea - thanks David. Or - copy and paste the original into a muted staff and each note could have its own tempo. Wow! Never thought of that before. Just what I need right now.

Tina

Re: ben folds' "The Luckiest"

Reply #4 –
I appreciate the compliment, Tina, but it actually is someone else's idea.  I read it in the forum some time ago.

It is particularly useful for creating swing music style playback.  You can write the necessary tempo changes over rests in just one bar, then copy it ad nauseum (or use a local repeat) without having to make the tempo changes coincide with notes and rests in the "live" staffs.

Re: ben folds' "The Luckiest"

Reply #5 –
Oops, I was mixing up my messages regarding controlling tempos.  I thought I was commenting on the other one.

Anyway, both ideas were "stolen" from someone else on the forum.

Re: ben folds' "The Luckiest"

Reply #6 –
actually that idea comes for imported
midi files, did you notice the "Tempo Track"
staff at the end?

Re: ben folds' "The Luckiest"

Reply #7 –
I've probably seen it many times, just not particularly had a need to retain the info.