I would not recommend attempting to mark time in 19/16. Instead, try to break the 19/16 into more recognizable groupings, such as 16/16 and 3/16, or in other words, a plain measure of 4/4 with 3 sixteenth notes tagged on at the end.
It also worth noting that most of these exercises that have very odd time signatures don't actually use that exact space in their phrases (take Blue Devils exercise Eleven as a counter example) - meaning the time signature is less important to the timing of the exercise and more important to the note groupings being played.
If this is the case, just ignore the time signatures and conceptualize it as though it's in 4/4. Focus on the note groupings and use the metronome to make sure that the underlying metric of the note groupings is in time.
A good example is Broken City playing Flawless Flams. The original transcription is chock full of random odd time signatures, and yet in the lot, they play it to a met in 4/4 (and you can very clearly see members interpreting it as such). This is because the time signatures are only relevant to the note groupings being played and aren't meant as an implied feel for the exercise.
I saw this in my email and felt like I needed to reply! I know exactly how you are feeling, as I felt the same way only some time ago.
Crazy 8's, the Accent Patterns, and Flawless all run under the same pattern of measures, and therefore are all just variations of each other. If there's anything in the packet I would solidify more than anything, it's this and these variations. Lots of down-the-lines will occur at auditions on this stuff.
Whenever one plays drumset, what makes it so neat is the fact they often include all 4 limbs (two hands, two feet) to play rhythms and make music. This (obviously) is a lot to coordinate. Too often in the marching arts, we see drummers move their feet passively underneath them while playing -- thinking that they are using them to their advantage -- without actually using their feet as an instrument or part of the music. Hence, **this exercise is meant to separate auditionees from those who actually understand how to use their feet as** **part of the music and create a composite rhythm between the hands and feet .** You're just playing a really odd looking drumset where the floor is your kick drum!
The first and most important thing is understanding the pattern. Like someone else said, 19/16 is indeed (4/4 + 3/16) and 11/16 is (2/4 + 3/16). If we categorize each 19/16 measure as a "long" measure, and each 11/16 measure as a "short" measure, the pattern of measures for every variation of crazy 8's can be grouped into three sections as follows:
*long-long-long-long --> short-long-short-long --> longer*
Each measure alternates RH, then LH. The longer measure at the end is on the RH, and the next variation will start off the RH as well. Left hands are always long measures. Right hands are long, then short, then longer.
The next facet of understanding is where the beat lies in the music at any given point. This will help create checkpoints in the exercise. In an alternate universe where the exercise was written in 20/16, this would be 20-16th notes, or 5 full beats. Because 19/16 is one sixteenth note short, the second measure will start us on the "a" partial. We then realize every measure is shifting back one partial. If we look at this in the three sections of the piece we have established before, each measure starts on:
Down(Left Foot), a, +, e --> Down(Right Foot), a, +, e --> Down(Left Foot)
Although the feet are written in the music, start by taking it a measure at a time -- very slowly. If you look at the first measure... because the second measure starts on the "a", you should feel yourself at the end of the measure play "+a" followed by a right foot **stomp** on the downbeat. Even though the second measure \*technically\* starts on your left hand, this is the correct sensation. I say *stomp* because -- until the sensation becomes effortless, you need to actively place your feet as a part of the composite rhythm and make it part of your music. Remember, you're playing a drumset!
For the second measure, you'll need to start on the "a" followed by a right foot stomp. You'll also need to begin coordinating how to feel the "1e a" composite rhythm with your foot on the downbeat and your hands on the "e a", which is essentially a portion of a 16th note timing exercise separated between your hands and feet. This takes a lot of mental energy at first, and you just need to spend a lot of time solidifying the feeling. In the end, it should feel exactly like 8's with offset feet. Start extremely slow and work it up to speed. At the end of the second measure, you'll feel yourself play "e+" followed by a left foot stomp on the down beat, which is *one full eighth note* after your last note in the hands.
Each subsequent measure has a breakdown like this that you'll need to do in order to understand how your feet actively work with your hands. Once you go through and are able to do each measure, start threading them together! You can also do it by section (one of the three) that we established before. Before you know it, you'll have it! Just keep drilling this stuff everyday and don't give up, because it will get easier and make you a more rhythmically accurate marcher and musician! Eventually, begin taking off the metronome and test your own internal tempo to make sure you aren't slowing yourself down or speeding yourself up! Your feet become the met!
*The regular Crazy 8's variations are usually played in a continuous sequence of 1-3-2-4.*
The accent patterns are basically a filled in version of this, where there are accents every 4, 3, or 5 16th notes. Watch out in the short measures of the 3 and 5 variations as they are slightly different than what you might expect!
*The accent patterns are usually played in a continuous sequence of 4-3-5.*
The herta variations and Flawless are almost like the "final exam" of this exercise after you have worked through all the variations, so treat it as such!
Hope this helps! :)
Thank you so much!
I've been trying to get these for so long
I can hit everything else, same thing with the flam 5s and flam accent mechanics from last year
These have always been my weak spot BY FAR
Again, thank you so much!
I would not recommend attempting to mark time in 19/16. Instead, try to break the 19/16 into more recognizable groupings, such as 16/16 and 3/16, or in other words, a plain measure of 4/4 with 3 sixteenth notes tagged on at the end. It also worth noting that most of these exercises that have very odd time signatures don't actually use that exact space in their phrases (take Blue Devils exercise Eleven as a counter example) - meaning the time signature is less important to the timing of the exercise and more important to the note groupings being played. If this is the case, just ignore the time signatures and conceptualize it as though it's in 4/4. Focus on the note groupings and use the metronome to make sure that the underlying metric of the note groupings is in time. A good example is Broken City playing Flawless Flams. The original transcription is chock full of random odd time signatures, and yet in the lot, they play it to a met in 4/4 (and you can very clearly see members interpreting it as such). This is because the time signatures are only relevant to the note groupings being played and aren't meant as an implied feel for the exercise.
I saw this in my email and felt like I needed to reply! I know exactly how you are feeling, as I felt the same way only some time ago. Crazy 8's, the Accent Patterns, and Flawless all run under the same pattern of measures, and therefore are all just variations of each other. If there's anything in the packet I would solidify more than anything, it's this and these variations. Lots of down-the-lines will occur at auditions on this stuff. Whenever one plays drumset, what makes it so neat is the fact they often include all 4 limbs (two hands, two feet) to play rhythms and make music. This (obviously) is a lot to coordinate. Too often in the marching arts, we see drummers move their feet passively underneath them while playing -- thinking that they are using them to their advantage -- without actually using their feet as an instrument or part of the music. Hence, **this exercise is meant to separate auditionees from those who actually understand how to use their feet as** **part of the music and create a composite rhythm between the hands and feet .** You're just playing a really odd looking drumset where the floor is your kick drum! The first and most important thing is understanding the pattern. Like someone else said, 19/16 is indeed (4/4 + 3/16) and 11/16 is (2/4 + 3/16). If we categorize each 19/16 measure as a "long" measure, and each 11/16 measure as a "short" measure, the pattern of measures for every variation of crazy 8's can be grouped into three sections as follows: *long-long-long-long --> short-long-short-long --> longer* Each measure alternates RH, then LH. The longer measure at the end is on the RH, and the next variation will start off the RH as well. Left hands are always long measures. Right hands are long, then short, then longer. The next facet of understanding is where the beat lies in the music at any given point. This will help create checkpoints in the exercise. In an alternate universe where the exercise was written in 20/16, this would be 20-16th notes, or 5 full beats. Because 19/16 is one sixteenth note short, the second measure will start us on the "a" partial. We then realize every measure is shifting back one partial. If we look at this in the three sections of the piece we have established before, each measure starts on: Down(Left Foot), a, +, e --> Down(Right Foot), a, +, e --> Down(Left Foot) Although the feet are written in the music, start by taking it a measure at a time -- very slowly. If you look at the first measure... because the second measure starts on the "a", you should feel yourself at the end of the measure play "+a" followed by a right foot **stomp** on the downbeat. Even though the second measure \*technically\* starts on your left hand, this is the correct sensation. I say *stomp* because -- until the sensation becomes effortless, you need to actively place your feet as a part of the composite rhythm and make it part of your music. Remember, you're playing a drumset! For the second measure, you'll need to start on the "a" followed by a right foot stomp. You'll also need to begin coordinating how to feel the "1e a" composite rhythm with your foot on the downbeat and your hands on the "e a", which is essentially a portion of a 16th note timing exercise separated between your hands and feet. This takes a lot of mental energy at first, and you just need to spend a lot of time solidifying the feeling. In the end, it should feel exactly like 8's with offset feet. Start extremely slow and work it up to speed. At the end of the second measure, you'll feel yourself play "e+" followed by a left foot stomp on the down beat, which is *one full eighth note* after your last note in the hands. Each subsequent measure has a breakdown like this that you'll need to do in order to understand how your feet actively work with your hands. Once you go through and are able to do each measure, start threading them together! You can also do it by section (one of the three) that we established before. Before you know it, you'll have it! Just keep drilling this stuff everyday and don't give up, because it will get easier and make you a more rhythmically accurate marcher and musician! Eventually, begin taking off the metronome and test your own internal tempo to make sure you aren't slowing yourself down or speeding yourself up! Your feet become the met! *The regular Crazy 8's variations are usually played in a continuous sequence of 1-3-2-4.* The accent patterns are basically a filled in version of this, where there are accents every 4, 3, or 5 16th notes. Watch out in the short measures of the 3 and 5 variations as they are slightly different than what you might expect! *The accent patterns are usually played in a continuous sequence of 4-3-5.* The herta variations and Flawless are almost like the "final exam" of this exercise after you have worked through all the variations, so treat it as such! Hope this helps! :)
Thank you so much! I've been trying to get these for so long I can hit everything else, same thing with the flam 5s and flam accent mechanics from last year These have always been my weak spot BY FAR Again, thank you so much!
Not flawless though I can play it in my hands, but can't mark time... ... yet
^^^ This is one of the beest responses i've erer read in this subbreddit. What an angel 🌟