What is a ragtime two-step?

• Jul 5, 2024 - 21:13

I'm a self-taught composer, and I am interested in composing ragtime. I've been trying to teach myself the structure of ragtime, but there are so many different rhythyms. For now, I have tried to learn what a ragtime two-step is, because I like Scott Joplin's ragtime pieces, especially those that are subtitled as two-step. For example: The Easy Winners, The Entertainer, and Leola. I have searched for many examples of what the two-step rhythym looks like, but I haven't found any sheet music score examples that I can easily understand.

If anyone could provide a score, or an image, of what the two-step rhythym visually looks like, I would appreciate it a lot.

I don't know if this is the right place to discuss music theory, but I don't have any other resources I can use to learn about this topic.

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• Jul 6, 2024 - 03:43

I've never heard the term before either, but according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragtime (particularly the section titled "Related forms and styles"), it looks like it's simply a rag written so that the dancers can dance a two-step to it. So, a ragtime in 4/4 (or, less often, 2/4). A rag written in 3/4 is apparently described as a "ragtime waltz".

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-step_(dance_move). NOTE: This is not the modern "Texas two-step", which apparently is not technically a "two-step" at all.

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