How To Count Bars
Counting Bars is the most fundamental skill of rapping. You need to count bars to know how to structure a rap. Counting bars will show you where to put the rhymes. Counting bars will tell you how many lines you need for a verse. And, lastly, counting bars will teach you how to syncopate your flow. It’s an essential skill for DJ-ing, to understand the structure of a song and to know where to drop your next mix.
What is a “Bar”?
A bar is a unit of a musical composition. It is commonly called a “measure.” A bar is equivalent to one line of a song. Rap music often samples a loop of music from a different song. Therefore, Beatmakers will use a melody or a drum break from another song to compose the instrumental. So a good way to hear the length of a bar, is to listen for every time the pattern of the melody or drums repeat. That is one bar. But, there is a much more precise way to determine where a bar begins and ends.
What does it mean to “count bars”?
Modern popular music uses a 4/4 time signature. Even if the song is House, Reggae, Pop, whatever. If it is on the radio, the standard time signature is 4/4.
The top number means that there are 4 beats in a bar.
The bottom number means that each beat is one quarter note long.
That means that you can count four times to the rhythm of a song and that will be one bar. You can do this naturally. Have you ever noticed that when a dope song comes on your first instinct is to nod your head? You are nodding your head to the beat. That means every time your head nods that is one beat. Nod your head four times and that is one bar. Count a number from one to four every time your head nods and you are counting beats. The counts should go like this…
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and… then you return to one and count the next bar.
That is one full bar. The bar begins on the 1 and ends after the offbeat on the 4. The numbers are the beats. The “and’s” are the off beat. Rappers will usually place their rhyme on the fourth beat. To count bars means to keep track of how many times you count this pattern.
Try counting along to your favorite song…
How to Count Bars
The easiest way to count bars is to only count the one on the first bar. After the first bar is done substitute the the bar count for the first beat. Example: I will count four bars
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
2 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
3 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
4 and 2 and 3 and 4 and…
Obviously you will count further when trying to delineate the structure of an actual rap song. It starts to get harder after 12 because then you have to use multiple syllables on the first beat, which can mess you up. What I did when I first learned to count bars is to use a pen and a pad, and only count to four bars in my head. When I reached 4 bars I would put a tally on the paper. Then I would change lines every time the beat changed. I would add up the tallies after I figured out the whole structure of the song. Eventually you will be able to make each tally worth 8, then 16, etc.
Soon, you will be able to count in your head. DJ’s get so good at counting bars they just know how many bars pass in a song without really even being conscious that they are counting.
Let’s Count Out A Song
We will try an exercise. Together we will figure out the structure of the song “Juicy” by The Notorious B.I.G.
When we count out a song we are focusing on the structure of the song’s lyrics. A standard structure will be INTRO / CHORUS / VERSE / CHORUS / BRIDGE /etc… take note of how many bars the sections have. This exercise will even help you to learn the building blocks of songwriting, (which we will elaborate on more in the future) but most hip-hoppers are already aware of what a Verse and Chorus are. I will describe the structure of ‘Juicy’ in terms of the bar count of each section. Count along while you listen to the song.
“Juicy” by The Notorious B.I.G.
Spoken Word Intro / 8 Bars
Verse 1 / 16 Bars
Pre-Chorus / 4 Bars
Chorus / 8 Bars
Verse 2 / 16 Bars
Pre-Chorus / 4 Bars
Chorus / 8 Bars
Verse 3 / 16 Bars
Pre-Chorus / 4 Bars
Chorus / 8 Bars
Ad-Libs / 8 Bars
Coda (Outro) / 16 Bars
Analysis
I chose to delineate Juicy because it has the typical verse/chorus structure most rap songs have. But, it is still unique and innovative. You may be asking, “what is a Pre-Chorus?” A Pre-Chorus is a section of a song that precedes the chorus and prepares us for it’s arrival. A pre-chorus also may consist of a repeated phrase (refrain) and similar structural elements. In the case of Juicy it is a refrain (‘it’s all good!”) and a preceding conclusive rhyming couplet before every chorus.
In conclusion, counting bars is the most useful tool for songwriters and musicians alike. It is possible to write a rap without being conscious of song structure and counting bars. But, it is impossible to become a master without being aware of song structure and counting bars.