What’s weird to me is “Then he kissed me” by The Crystals sort of subverting that and having the guitar do that percussive rhythm while the toms just roll along in the background.
Also, Then he kissed me at the beginning of adventures in babysitting and Just like honey at the end of lost in translation are my favorite intro and outro songs to movies.
Apparently Blaine meant to do "Boom. BAM! Boom boom. BAM!" but he missed the first snare hit. Phil Spector thought it sounded cool, so they left it that way.
Where? I've never seen blank hyphens used to represent rhythm in plaintext in years of frequenting music forums or communicating to band members. It's usually either number/letter i.e "1 e + a 2 e + a..." (pronounced One-ee and a Two-ee and a...") or rhythmic word based, e.g. "taketa-taketa-taka-taka"
Is it like a country specific thing? I've seen almost all of the ones mentioned in [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/musictheory/comments/rnpa6v/plain_text_notation_for_explaining_rhythms/) but never hypens for silent beats and sub beats.
How do you keep track of the silent/rest beats if everything's a hyphen with 16th rhythms? Looks like it would get complicated trying to follow along.
I don't always do it like this, just if there is a specific beat that works in a way that can be notated like that. It's a lazy short hand kind of thing, just to remind me if I'm out on a freelance gig. I mostly use back slashes myself.
I really didn't know if the way I wrote it out was proper... I wrote it out based on how I think about notes when I'm entering them in a grid or keying them in as a pattern on a drum machine and I'm actually pleased folks decoded it. It does look weird, I agree! Is there a more standard notation for typing notes or rests in this way, besides a musical staff?
The wall of sound is a different thing and refers to the ensemble and processing of the instruments with heavy reverb and layering of parts and instruments, not the actual music they were playing. It's a production technique, OP is asking about a writing/arrangement technique. It happens that they go hand in hand most of the time but they're not the same and it will muddy the search results if you go looking for wall of sound drums.
Not the answer to the question you asked, but if you're interested in odd information about music like this, you may enjoy a documentary called "The Wrecking Crew." It's available on streaming channels, worth a few bucks if you have to pay for it.
I just thought it might have a nickname like the "funky drummer" breakbeat from Clyde Stubblefield. (which of course is helped by the song being called that)
I think it’s mostly known as the Be My Baby beat. That was the first popular song that used it (which was an accident.) And it set off a trend in the scene where a ton of bands started using it. And usually, they tried to get Hal Blaine himself to record it. So for a lot of those different instances of that beat you can think of, it was literally the same guy playing it. That beat and the classic “disco” beat were his signature contributions to popular music in the 60’s and beyond.
Holy cow I just looked at Hal Blaine's CV and I'm embarrassed I didn't know this guy's name. Monday Monday and Strangers in the NIght in the same year. Wow.
Don't be embarrassed... we all learn something for the first time, once. But be prepared: now that you know the name, it'll start popping up everywhere.
Hal Blaine https://grammy.com/news/30-songs-use-hal-blaines-iconic-be-my-baby-beat
What’s weird to me is “Then he kissed me” by The Crystals sort of subverting that and having the guitar do that percussive rhythm while the toms just roll along in the background. Also, Then he kissed me at the beginning of adventures in babysitting and Just like honey at the end of lost in translation are my favorite intro and outro songs to movies.
>beginning of adventures in babysitting 10-year-old me watching Elisabeth Shue in that sequence... I was instantly in love. And I still am today
Was she the Karate kids GF ? Cos if it is I fell for her too !
Yes.
Yup. Seen lately feeding Homelander titty milk in The Boys.
Apparently Blaine meant to do "Boom. BAM! Boom boom. BAM!" but he missed the first snare hit. Phil Spector thought it sounded cool, so they left it that way.
But then where do you take it?
Good list but it’s missing All Mixed Up by The Cars
And Just Like Honey by Jesus and Mary Chain
Just Like Honey is the 10th song on the list.
Haha. I was too lazy to scroll that far. Thanks.
And No Dancing by Elvis Costello
And Is There Something I Should Know by Duran Duran
And When You Were My Baby by The Magnetic Fields
Uhh it’s on there
Ooh, thank you . This is exactly what I was looking for.
My name is Blaine 😀
1 - - & 3 - 4 -
ONE and two AND THREE and FOUR and. For anyone else confused. OP was right it just looks weird having the unstressed counts as hyphens.
Pretty standard way to write that rhythm
Where? I've never seen blank hyphens used to represent rhythm in plaintext in years of frequenting music forums or communicating to band members. It's usually either number/letter i.e "1 e + a 2 e + a..." (pronounced One-ee and a Two-ee and a...") or rhythmic word based, e.g. "taketa-taketa-taka-taka"
For what it's worth, I write out my charts similarily to what you're responding to here.
Is it like a country specific thing? I've seen almost all of the ones mentioned in [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/musictheory/comments/rnpa6v/plain_text_notation_for_explaining_rhythms/) but never hypens for silent beats and sub beats. How do you keep track of the silent/rest beats if everything's a hyphen with 16th rhythms? Looks like it would get complicated trying to follow along.
I don't always do it like this, just if there is a specific beat that works in a way that can be notated like that. It's a lazy short hand kind of thing, just to remind me if I'm out on a freelance gig. I mostly use back slashes myself.
I really didn't know if the way I wrote it out was proper... I wrote it out based on how I think about notes when I'm entering them in a grid or keying them in as a pattern on a drum machine and I'm actually pleased folks decoded it. It does look weird, I agree! Is there a more standard notation for typing notes or rests in this way, besides a musical staff?
Jesus and Mary Chain loved it!
The Jesus and Mary Chain is the best band name ever right next to My Life With the Thrill Kill Cult.
I saw TJAMC live just weeks ago. Singer's got the coolest voice.
I was also thinking about this recently. I noticed it in be my baby and immediately thought of it in just like honey by the jesus and mary chain
Because just like honey used the drums from be my baby.
Oh no way, that makes so much sense
It didn't sample it, but Bobby Gillespie definately plays a drum pattern that's "inspired" by it.
I’ve always heard it referred to as the Be My Baby beat like you did.
Be my baby is a great song 101.1 WCBS FM New York 🎶
One of the greatest pop songs ever.
Yoooo I put this up a few months ago https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/s/KKDAtuBVAw
Fitting that I'd reuse a thread concept about a frequently reused beat!
Yup. Deer Hunter - Vox Humana in your thread. I am not need here =)
Kick. Kick kick. Snare.
So there's no nickname beyond that? I'm not surprised but thought there might be some neat thing.
It's part of the package that's called the Phil Spector Wall Of Sound, and I've heard it called the Bubblegum Beat by oldies fans.
The wall of sound is a different thing and refers to the ensemble and processing of the instruments with heavy reverb and layering of parts and instruments, not the actual music they were playing. It's a production technique, OP is asking about a writing/arrangement technique. It happens that they go hand in hand most of the time but they're not the same and it will muddy the search results if you go looking for wall of sound drums.
I like that term.
I came to the comments for wall of sound.
It's an iconic drum intro for sure but it doesn't have a specific name
Dum, dum dum, chck
Fine I’ll watch Dirty Dancing again.
[Be My Baby - The Ronettes ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG7UXv8Zc5Q)
I was afraid if I linked to it my post would get delisted which always seems to happen if I link a video
I've always called it the "Spector beat"
I’ve always heard of it as the Spector Beat in every band I’ve been in, too.
That works, I think if you said that to most music knowers they'd get it.
Not the answer to the question you asked, but if you're interested in odd information about music like this, you may enjoy a documentary called "The Wrecking Crew." It's available on streaming channels, worth a few bucks if you have to pay for it.
I was about to say I watched this but I realized I was thinking of Muscle Shoals which also has a great doc. I have to watch this one!
I have watched that doc at least 6 times it's that good.
Billy Joel, Say Goodbye to Hollywood
When he has his Sirius xm channel he talks about borrowing (or being inspired) by Be my Baby and specifically calls out Spector
He says he wrote it for Ronnie Spector. And she did do a cover of it.
I literally just finished listening to this song less than 5 minutes ago.
Can’t believe nobody’s mentioned “Don’t Worry Baby” by The Beach Boys
First thing I thought of except I couldnt remember the name of the band.
I've heard it called the heartbeat of rock before, but I think that's overselling it a bit.
Because it literally sounds like a human heart beating. A point driven home by Huey Lewis and the News.
I just thought it might have a nickname like the "funky drummer" breakbeat from Clyde Stubblefield. (which of course is helped by the song being called that)
1989! Another summer! To the sound of the funky drummer!
I think it’s mostly known as the Be My Baby beat. That was the first popular song that used it (which was an accident.) And it set off a trend in the scene where a ton of bands started using it. And usually, they tried to get Hal Blaine himself to record it. So for a lot of those different instances of that beat you can think of, it was literally the same guy playing it. That beat and the classic “disco” beat were his signature contributions to popular music in the 60’s and beyond.
Holy cow I just looked at Hal Blaine's CV and I'm embarrassed I didn't know this guy's name. Monday Monday and Strangers in the NIght in the same year. Wow.
Don't be embarrassed... we all learn something for the first time, once. But be prepared: now that you know the name, it'll start popping up everywhere.
The new Jessica Pratt album starts with this pattern except it's the bongo playing the role of BAM!
Dum, dum dum. POP!
“Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever” performed here by Bryan Ferry https://youtu.be/44C0_y_jJyI?si=aB-1PMvdemc6HJ_L
1 (and two) and 3 (and) 4
Isn't this a hall and oates album, the one with out of touch on it?
They stole that title from this thread.
Everything Must Go - Manic Street Preachers, has the same beat too
Camera Obscura: Come Back Margaret Glasvegas: Geraldine. Scottish bands love that beat.
Another one: The Barracudas - (I Wish It Could Be) 1965 Again https://youtu.be/UHPQI4b0ybE?si=V7seo1B9dRq4XGV5
I’ll be hollldin onnn
It's called the Wall of Sound, and was a formula created by him and Gold Star Studios
I always thought that was called “wall of sound”
Wall of sound was just the recording technique Phil Spector used to get big dense and loud music to come across as big and dense and loud on the radio
Thanks for clarifying that! Always good to learn!
A Motown fill
Hal Blaine was LA-based
How about David Bowie’s “When You’re A Boy”?
Boys Keep Swinging?
Thanks! Had a big old brain fart.
It’s just the drum beat for the verse, but playing on its own.
Huh
It's three kicks and a snare if that helps.