• From: Viera, Florida
  • Registered: 2012-05-04
  • Posts: 8

Topic: Is There a Standard Number of Measures per Line

Given usual looking Chords like the following, can it be assumed that each line of lyrics will always be 4 measures?  So in this example you would play two measures of G and two measures of D.

            G                   D
When I find myself in times of trouble
Em                C
Mother Mary comes to me
   G                           D                   C    G
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
      G                       D
And in my hour of darkness

  • wlbaye
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  • From: Black Hills So Dak
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,284

Re: Is There a Standard Number of Measures per Line

In this song each chord designation is One measure, not all chord tabs show how many measures each chord will be , but some chord tabs will and if there are two measures of a chord it will have two chord designations then the next chord change. Or something like this G//// G//// C//// with each slash being a beat of 4/4 timing.

Later, Wayne P

wlbaye's Website

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: Is There a Standard Number of Measures per Line

No.  There are no standards on this.  When using chord charts, you need to already kind of know the song.  Also, many times the letter shows up not in quite the right place.  You have to figure that out more or less by feel too. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
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  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: Is There a Standard Number of Measures per Line

The example song has two beats on each chord and, as I am pretty sure that you guys in the States use the word measure for that we Brits call a bar, there are two chords per measure (bar) in this song ie:

G G D D ¦ Em Em C C ¦ G G D D ¦ C C G G ¦ G G D D¦

Play one strum for each chord shown as the song will sound OK.

As Zurf states there is no standard and you need to know the song to play from this or from tabs, only a full music score gives you the full information to play the song but unfortunately not everyone can read one.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website