The need for clapping on the One is born out of fear and distrust of Rests; those unplayed spaces between the notes, collectively known as black noise.

Here are the four basic colors of noise. White noise is the shit on your TV. Pink noise is in vogue for neurophonic meditatiors. Brown noise makes any sentient being with an asshole immediately shit upon hearing the slightest decibel.

It’s impossible for most people to allow a rest to sound without fulfilling the urge to color that space with noise. A socially acceptable kick drum would help to standardize crowd rhythms in the right direction. May I recommend the Floor Stomp?

Clapping on the Ones is unacceptable. Why do white people do this? Haven’t they heard “We Will Rock You” before, or been to a B-ball game where “We Will Rock You” is correctly stomped and clapped out before their white eyes?

Here’s a most pitiful display of Clapping on the One. Of course, it’s the Eagles.

For Jupiter’s sake!
Clapping on the One certainly has its place, like say in a Hoedown. Although in this case, each clap is often accompanied by a floorstomp. Plus, in a hoedown, the feel is down all the way, with empahsis on every beat, so Clapping on the One makes more sense. Check out this song from the movie “Willow”.

NEXT BLOG POST: The Abolishment of Applause!

This little guy is so good.
He sounds like a panflute. He flattens the decay on each of his notes.

His song is in the key of C# Mixolydian, but he often changes key. The second phrase modulates down a half step, but it isn’t a perfect transposition to C Mixolydian. Instead of hitting the C at the end of the phrase, he hits a B. What a crazy boird!

Here’s the full song.

As with all bird songs, there are more rests than notes. It calls to mind French composer Claude Debussy’s famous quote: “Music is the space between the notes.” Of course, there aren’t any rests in the ambient noise that surrounds him – the pink noise of a river, the Ionian honks of car horns, and a million other oscine songs.

The very awesome Stevie Nicks’ song “Edge of Seventeen” uses the dove’s riff. The chorus also features a very bird-like call & answer. Sexy hot.

My progressive bird band Boird band also covers the dove.