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I found a piece of sheet music, of the A forest by the cure, but something is confusing me ( as usual with sheetmusic )

https://www.jellynote.com/en/sheet-musi ... %23score_A

Flute part, and some other parts too, why do they use three rest symbols ? why not just one ?
I am talking about the parts that have a rest for four counts.

Rests are simply places where the musician does not play. Rests have equivalent values to corresponding notes of duration. Thus, there is a whole rest, half rest, quarter rest, etc., just like normal notes. Rests are always located in the same vertical position.

Rests Reinforce Meter. Rests notation follows the same stipulations as notes with a few additional considerations. In a three beat measure, avoid the use of a rest equaling two beats in duration (ex. avoid half rests in 3/4). In measures with four beats, beat 3 must usually be shown, so use a half rest to cover beats 1 and 2 or 3 and 4, but two quarter note rests for beats 2 and 3. Whole rests are used to cover a full measure in ANY meter (with the single exception of rest delineations in complex meters.)
I hope this is not confusing you.
I never imagined, that I would be teaching musical theory like this. lol

Thank you very much, but the first picture I already knew. I have found a small musical theory book, which covers the basics. I had a mate print it for me.
I think my problem has to do with my profession, mechanical engineer. when making music, this side of me gets in the way. When I see 3/4, in my mind I go, that's 0.75. I need to learn to read it as it is mend. In four counts, you play 3 notes.

One of your examples, which is called confusing, is far more logic to me then the good way LOL

But I will study those examples more, and I am pretty sure I will get it.

Right now, second picture, second line, first part, two notes and then the rest of the measure , a rest. That is not confusing to me at all.
But I do see, why the correct way has 4 symbols, because. its 3/4.

However that correct example, also conflicts in my head. It's 3/4, so only three notes will be played, in a count of four.
Then placing 4 symbols does not really make sense to me. (yet)

But to end this, you did help me.
I think I need to study more on other measures then 4/4, to really see the light.
Also you're remark: in measures with four beats, beat 3 must usually be shown, is helping me.

It might work better if you read 3/4 as 3 beats of quarter notes. Though that can still be confusing (what is it a quarter of ?).

But it's important that you don't confuse beats with actual notes played. Beats are what you count to keep in time. But notes can be many different lengths so there can be 2, 3, 4, or more notes played in one single beat or there can be one note covering lots of beats (as you know from your examples where one note is played for the whole bar of 4 beats or even for many bars). In that 3/4 example you find confusing there are 2 notes played in the first beat and then 2 rests each one beat long, that's why there are 4 symbols in 3 beats.

BTW in the UK we don't use that fairly sensible quarter, eighth note length naming convention, we make it even more confusing by calling different note lengths really odd names like semibreves, crochets and hemidemisemiquavers....so it could be worse . On here I'll stick to whole, quarter etc !

Steve

I had already some UK friends tease me, with those English names.

I am not even gonna try to remember those. In my country the Netherlands, mostly used is the 1/4 1/8 naming, so I'll stick to that.

You’re approach to how I should read it, is interesting. There lies one of my problems, I am seeing fractions, were I should not.

I also should prob, just except certain things, and not over think it, like I am doing now.
Four beats, 4 symbols, period.

And I can answer, what is a quarter of 3, that's 0.75 But that knowledge is only hindering me, when I try to learn sheet music.

Learning sheet music is like learning a new language.
Sometimes ones knowledge, and education, get's in the way of ones learning.. lol

As you say sometimes you just have believe things. E.g. some of the stuff I play is in 5/4 time. You're going to get in real trouble if you think that means it's 1.25 times something. It just mean there are five 1/4 notes to the bar (or ten 1/8 notes or any combination that adds up to the equivalent ).

But since we've already worked out that you have a pretty good ear for music I'd suggest your best bet is just to use the sheet music to look at for hints where something sounds difficult. You really don't need to read music like reading a book. I managed to play in bands for years only knowing chord symbols and very roughly what the dots meant. What it sounds like is more important than what it looks like on a page .

Steve

You can do 5/4

Then I have a nice song for you. From what I heard there was only one drummer able to play along.
I cant even tap along with this song. Were the hell is the first beat LOL
I can somewhat follow the drummer but the other guys ? damn., its one of my favorite songs though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmDDOFXSgAs

And my musical hearing has improved allot over the last few months.
Part of me wants to give up on sheet music, but I do have the feeling, I am getting close at really understanding it.

There is a great site for me though. Jellynote.
What makes it awesome for me, you see the sheet music, and can listen to the song.
The notes lit up when played. That is really helping me to understand sheet music.

Its like Eino says its learning a new language.

Yep Take 5 is one of the more famous tracks in 5/4. But what I learnt 5/4 from was Jethro Tull's Living in the Past. Lovely bass line. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsCyC1dZiN8

But if you like really funny time signatures try working out what the Stranglers "Golden Brown" is in . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWAsI3U2EaE One day I'll get good enough to do a cover of that.

Steve

Wow, again a song, to which I totally fail, to count along. ( Jethro Tull )

That's great about a waltz, that very easy to follow, 1,2,3, 1,2,3 ...

Funny you mention golden brown. When I started making music, some one suggested that I should cover golden brown.
He already knew, what I did not know back then, its another totally not 1,2,3,4 number.