An "In-Two" Style

[Keith88]

This is a request I first made two years ago. Just before my New Year's Eve gig, I realized that there were a number of songs that I was requested to play that iReal Pro could not easily accommodate. These are non-swing songs in "two," meaning that, for 4/4 time, the song called for a note on the bass instrument on beats 1 and 3, and a drum hit (and guitar strum or piano chord) on beats 2 and 4. Alternatively, there may be songs that call for bass notes on beats 1, 2, 3, and 4, and drum hits and chords on the "and" after each beat. When I was young, we used to call such tunes "boom–chick" to mimic the sound. The difference between the categories is only one of notation and convenience.

There are hundreds (thousands?) of songs that have this sort of rhythm. Just a few:

• California, Here I Come
• Give My Regards To Broadway
• That's Entertainment
• Tie A Yellow Ribbon
• Sweet Gypsy Rose
• You're A Grand Old Flag
• Five Foot Two
• Hooray For Hollywood
• Anchors Aweigh
• Marine Hymn
• Stars and Stripes Forever

I appealed to the iReal Pro community in two posts: https://forums.irealpro.com/threads/Style-to-play-old-fashioned-tunes-in-quot-two-quot.14588/ and https://forums.irealpro.com/threads/Give-My-Regards-to-Broadway-George-M-Cohan.9232/. Two experienced iRP users, DaleMac and Jerry Engelbach each took the trouble to provide examples for me that sort of addressed the problem. However, their solutions were really not good, and Jerry's required an extensive re-edit of the original chord chart. Thus, two years later, I'm repeating this feature request.

What I'm asking for from our esteemed developers is something like this:

• For songs in 4/4 time, I would like a bass note on beats 1 and 3 (probably the root and fifth if there is only one chord in the measure) and a drum hit and chord on beats 2 and 4. If there are two chords in the measure, obviously, the bass would play roots on beats 1 and 3.
• For songs in 2/4 time, I would like bass notes on beats 1 and 2 and drum hits and chords on the "and" after each beat.

I know that there has been a major revision to iRP that has been recently released, with twelve new blues styles, addition of guitar tracks on some older styles, synch between devices, and other improvements. As a result, I'm sure the developers want a rest from their labors. However, I would like to point out that although there are now many ways to play the blues on iRP, there is no appropriate style for songs that require an "In Two" style. Thus, I'm repeating this request with the hope that such a style could be added to iRP. I hope others will support this request and that it will be implemented.

 

[dflat]

Thank you Keith, yes I do know what you mean.
The nearest we have for now is Jazz - Second line or Trad jazz. Have you tried these? Not exactly what you want but they are more suited than others would be.

 

[Keith88]

I have looked at both styles. In both Second Line and Trad Jazz, the drums are wrong, and in Second Line, the chord hits are wrong. Trad Jazz is the better of the two, but is certainly not a solution. I know that I underestimate the amount of work that a developer would have to do to create a new style (after all, how does the style work in odd meters like 2/2 or 6/8, let alone 7/4?) but I can't see the development of an "In Two" style as requiring as much work as some of the blues styles. I hope the developers will address this issue soon. Thanks for responding.

I was an active beta tester for version 8 and I enjoyed testing the new blues styles, even though I rarely have need of them. I found that using both piano or organ and guitar, I was able to create some very compelling backing tracks with them. I also recently posted a chart for "Misery," an R&B blues using the new Lucille style, which created a very good backing track for a singer. So congrats for the new version 8 improvements.

 

[CyrilleB]

Yes, it would be nice to have a style that plays in "2" throughout the song. The current style switches to walking bass line in the "B" section.

 

[Keith88]

Cyrille, my idea of an "In Two" style is very different from the two section of the Jazz-Swing Two/Four now on iRP. The two section uses a ride cymbal and has chord hits on beat one (as well as others). This is very different from the new style I describe above. However, I do agree that the new style should always stay "in two."

 

[CyrilleB]

I know what you mean. Other styles other than jazz uses "in-two" style as well. That would be a great addition.

 

[engelbach]

I second the motion, Keith.

I call the style "oom-cha."

Cheers,
Jer

 

[Keith88]

Update for duple compound meter

As an update on this request:

I'm working up a chord chart for "76 Trombones," which has been requested for my next gig. The chart will be in 6/8 time, which for iReal Pro, means that it is "in two," with a duple compound meter. A proposed "in two" style should treat charts having a 6/8 signature by placing bass notes on beats 1 and 4 and rhythm and chord hits on beats 3 and 6. Such a style would be suitable for many march tunes (e.g. "Washington Post March") as well as other 6/8 tunes, like "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas." Meanwhile, I'll have to settle for a work-around.

 

[CyrilleB]

It would be also very useful to have a "country style", but with a swing feel. Many country songs have a swing feel. It could also be used for other genre as well