Daily Archives: March 16th, 2008

“Downeaster Alexa” Billy Joel, Mean-Speed Theory category-Enthusiasm (90-97 BPM) - The Singer’s tempo exposes that he is SERIOUS about getting ready to saving Long Island fishing

This is a speed graph with a linear trenline of Billy Joel’s Downeaster Alexa. The numerical coordinates and graph were produced by averaging sets of 4 quarter notes, so that each point on the histogram represents one measure of music in “common time”– “4/4″–that is, one measure receiving four quarter notes 4 times). Discussion of this song is most elucidating on Songfacts.com, a fantastic place to vosit to learn the history and background of this piece from Joel’s Storm Front CD.

The mean-speed, or the speed of the song expressed as beats per minute= 89.8 beats per minute.
The mean-space, or time between each beat= 668 milliseconds.
The mean-beat= 1.497 beats per second.
The mean-frequency, or the speed of the song expressed as cycles per second= 1.497 Hertz.
The mean-tone in equal temperament =383.15 Hertz, lying between the note G natural and F#,– where the G4=391.995 Hertz, which= 23,519.7 beats per minute, divided in half 8 times (23,519.7/256)= 91.9 beats per minute. The next closest tone is an F#4=369.994 Hertz, which=22,199.64 beats per minute, again divided by 256=86.7 beats per minute. For more on tones and their correspondence to beats per minute, see Stephen Jay’s theories, especially Stephen’s The Theory of Harmonic Rhythm, linked with the author’s kind permission on meanspeed.com.
The graph is based on a spreadsheet generated with this method:
a) I calibrated the (quarter-notes) ten times with Seiko 300-lap stopwatches;
b) Ten trials were entered, averaged and coordinated.
using Microsoft’s Excel for MacIntosh 2004 on an Apple iBook G4 as hardware.
The linear trendlines are courtesy of/derived with same Microsoft Excel program.

Best, from the home of the New York Mets,
Ian Schneider
March 16, 2008

“Downeaster Alexa” Billy Joel, Mean-Speed Theory category-Enthusiasm (90-97 BPM) - The Singer’s tempo exposes that he is SERIOUS about getting ready to saving Long Island fishing

This is a speed graph with a linear trenline of Billy Joel’s Downeaster Alexa. The numerical coordinates and graph were produced by averaging sets of 4 quarter notes, so that each point on the histogram represents one measure of music in “common time”– “4/4″–that is, one measure receiving four quarter notes 4 times). Discussion of this song is most elucidating on Songfacts.com, a fantastic place to vosit to learn the history and background of this piece from Joel’s Storm Front CD.

The mean-speed, or the speed of the song expressed as beats per minute= 89.8 beats per minute.
The mean-space, or time between each beat= 668 milliseconds.
The mean-beat= 1.497 beats per second.
The mean-frequency, or the speed of the song expressed as cycles per second= 1.497 Hertz.
The mean-tone in equal temperament =383.15 Hertz, lying between the note G natural and F#,– where the G4=391.995 Hertz, which= 23,519.7 beats per minute, divided in half 8 times (23,519.7/256)= 91.9 beats per minute. The next closest tone is an F#4=369.994 Hertz, which=22,199.64 beats per minute, again divided by 256=86.7 beats per minute. For more on tones and their correspondence to beats per minute, see Stephen Jay’s theories, especially Stephen’s The Theory of Harmonic Rhythm, linked with the author’s kind permission on meanspeed.com.
The graph is based on a spreadsheet generated with this method:
a) I calibrated the (quarter-notes) ten times with Seiko 300-lap stopwatches;
b) Ten trials were entered, averaged and coordinated.
using Microsoft’s Excel for MacIntosh 2004 on an Apple iBook G4 as hardware.
The linear trendlines are courtesy of/derived with same Microsoft Excel program.

Best, from the home of the New York Mets,
Ian Schneider
March 16, 2008

Seeing the Speed of Beatles -”Taxman” - REVOLVER- Speed Charts, iTunes ScreenShots, All Calibrations Revealed - No Registration Required!




“Taxman” is the first track from ‘Revolver’, an album written and performed by the Beatles. Upon thorough examination of the deepest parts of cyberspace, I could not find a space or representation of speed that reflected accurate tempo maps to this song.
At this point, The Beatles are our classical music, as Paul McCartney once said - well, he said it when he saw the sheet music to a Mozart quartet and something to the effect that the Beatles compositions would be the classical music of the future. He was right.

Meanspeed Music Summary
Song title=”Taxman”
composer=George Harrison
Performer=The Beatles
Album=’Revolver’
Trials calibrated=9
Calibration supervision=James C.C. Manning, A.S.C.
Beats measured=2,970


Time elapsed, complete=1,331.07 seconds
Average beat=0.448 seconds
Average velocity/mean speed=133.9 beats per minute



Corresponding pitch=571.2 Hertz
Recording source=CDP 7 464412
Digital mastering=A/A/D
Manufacturer=Capitol Records, Inc.
Intellectual property=© 1966, E.M.I. Records, Ltd.
Publishing rights=© 1966, Northern Songs, Ltd.
apparent message of song=pay your taxes, and be prepared to feel like you are paying the government too.
song ripped off=The Batman Theme, 1966 version
most interesting rhyme=’be’ and ‘me’, where we see -
“Let me tell you how it will be There’s one for you, nineteen for me“
Coolest element that has nothing to do with tempo=the D7(#9) chord! (”taxman!”)

Most vital element of song=Paul’s perfect bass line which is simple, yet for its time, it stands the test of time as that of a Mozart. The genius is simplicity, fluidity and a preternatural ability to create counterpoint lines without effort.

James C.C. Manning, A.S.C.
Ian Schneider
meanspeed music company