Odd Time Signatures - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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sean

Prog Reviewer

Joined: April 02 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1155

Posted: August 27 2006 at 11:09

how about the dillinger escape plan for some wacky time signatures?

unforgivable74 View Drop Down

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Joined: August 17 2006
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 99

Posted: August 27 2006 at 09:45

As a drummer (of limited skills) it took me years to work out what was going on in Suppers Ready - Apocolypse in 9/8. However, there is a few bars in the midlle of 'Fading Lights' from 'We Can't Dance' where the timing goes berserk and I just can't work out what's going on. Anybody know the bit I mean?

Laughs as I clean my teeth, laughs as I rub at my eyes.

OpethGuitarist View Drop Down

Prog Reviewer

Joined: June 25 2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1655

Posted: August 27 2006 at 03:06

lol if you want crazy time signatures and ryhthm patterns to put your head in a spin

listen to Meshuggah- I

or Future Breed Machine is another good choice

basically they make Genesis look like fools when it comes to time signatures, actually they pretty much make everyone look like fools in that regard.

oh and a disclaimer:

You probably wont like them because you will be closed - minded since they have the world "metal" as a genre title. As I normally say to such people, anyone who think metal is simplistic needs only to listen to Meshuggah intently to understand metal is not always that way, and you are stereotyping an entire genre of interesting music, making yourself look like an idiot.

pick up Chaosphere, I, or Future Breed Machine for some crazy use of time signatures.

Edited by OpethGuitarist - August 27 2006 at 03:10

back from the dead, i will begin posting reviews again and musing through the forums

EssentialFaris View Drop Down

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Joined: July 26 2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 48

Posted: August 27 2006 at 02:18

Yeah, I've simply just begun getting into odd meters, but tomorrow...AKA MONDAY MORNING, Ï'll be going to my first day of junior year in highschool, I'm taking a college music thery class, and the only 3 kids who it listen to prog as much as me are in it! All i know is, This awesome kid was in a hardcore punk band, and when he finished that class, started a math rock band, and they were amazing...recently split up

Guests

Forum Guest Group

Posted: August 15 2006 at 17:36

Chameleon,

My mistake. You were right it should be 3+2+4 / 8. I apologize for the confusion.

If you look at how you set it up you can see it. Two bass drum and one snare=3. One bass drum and one snare= 2. Three bass drum and one snare=4. 3+2+4/8 with each beat being an eigth note.

If you're determined enought you can count all the way throughit, but Phil gets all off the beats as the thing progresses and makes it harder than you think to count. I gotta believe that Tony and Mike probably wanted to hurt him at times for stuff like that.

Jeremy Bender View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: April 29 2005
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 531

Posted: August 15 2006 at 17:22

Oh yeah I like odd meters (being a drummer, I very much like to play them).

Today I listened to UK's 'in the dead of night, by the light of day', and that's a very cool song with all the time changes. BB is a master of odd meters.

Rotten

Forum Newbie

Joined: August 11 2006
Status: Offline
Points: 3

Posted: August 15 2006 at 17:18

I remember listening to Rush when I was real young, before I knew about time signatures and just figured that everything was in 4, but that they either added or subtracted a beat here and there. Since then, I've learned to look for the patterns and it is a lot of fun.

I've taught my kids how much fun they are because you can dance to them when you figure them out. For intance, in 5 you can dance to it like it is in 4 and then you get a pose at the end; they like that one.

To me, the key is when an odd time signature sounds natural, not like it is in the time signature for the sake of complexity. I thought Rush was really good at that. I think it is because their drum could rock out. So, yeah, I love'em.

Leningrad

Forum Senior Member

Joined: August 15 2006
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 7991

Posted: August 15 2006 at 17:18

Really? Well, what I found was something like this...

bum

bum bum

bum bum bum bum bum bum

repeated over and over.

But your way's cooler.

Guests

Forum Guest Group

Posted: August 15 2006 at 17:15

The apocalype breaks donw to an actual division of 4 + 2 + 3 /8, but since the 4, 2, 3 groupings repeat consistently throughout the section the time signature is given as 9/8.

Yeah, odd meters are fun.

Leningrad

Forum Senior Member

Joined: August 15 2006
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 7991

Posted: August 15 2006 at 16:37

One of the reasons I listen to prog is for the crazy time signatures. For some reason, the more changes, the better. I like to be challenged by my prog. A year ago, I actually sat down after listening to Foxtrot and tried to decipher Apocalypse in 9/8 on paper. Anyone else feel the same? Probably not, but it's worth a check...

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sean Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: April 02 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1155	Posted: August 27 2006 at 11:09
	how about the dillinger escape plan for some wacky time signatures?

unforgivable74 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Groupie Joined: August 17 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 99	Posted: August 27 2006 at 09:45
	As a drummer (of limited skills) it took me years to work out what was going on in Suppers Ready - Apocolypse in 9/8. However, there is a few bars in the midlle of 'Fading Lights' from 'We Can't Dance' where the timing goes berserk and I just can't work out what's going on. Anybody know the bit I mean?
	Laughs as I clean my teeth, laughs as I rub at my eyes.

OpethGuitarist Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: June 25 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1655	Posted: August 27 2006 at 03:06
	lol if you want crazy time signatures and ryhthm patterns to put your head in a spin listen to Meshuggah- I or Future Breed Machine is another good choice basically they make Genesis look like fools when it comes to time signatures, actually they pretty much make everyone look like fools in that regard. oh and a disclaimer: You probably wont like them because you will be closed - minded since they have the world "metal" as a genre title. As I normally say to such people, anyone who think metal is simplistic needs only to listen to Meshuggah intently to understand metal is not always that way, and you are stereotyping an entire genre of interesting music, making yourself look like an idiot. pick up Chaosphere, I, or Future Breed Machine for some crazy use of time signatures. Edited by OpethGuitarist - August 27 2006 at 03:10
	back from the dead, i will begin posting reviews again and musing through the forums

EssentialFaris Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Groupie Joined: July 26 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 48	Posted: August 27 2006 at 02:18
	Yeah, I've simply just begun getting into odd meters, but tomorrow...AKA MONDAY MORNING, Ï'll be going to my first day of junior year in highschool, I'm taking a college music thery class, and the only 3 kids who it listen to prog as much as me are in it! All i know is, This awesome kid was in a hardcore punk band, and when he finished that class, started a math rock band, and they were amazing...recently split up .

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Guest Group	Posted: August 15 2006 at 17:36
	Chameleon, My mistake. You were right it should be 3+2+4 / 8. I apologize for the confusion. If you look at how you set it up you can see it. Two bass drum and one snare=3. One bass drum and one snare= 2. Three bass drum and one snare=4. 3+2+4/8 with each beat being an eigth note. If you're determined enought you can count all the way throughit, but Phil gets all off the beats as the thing progresses and makes it harder than you think to count. I gotta believe that Tony and Mike probably wanted to hurt him at times for stuff like that.

Jeremy Bender Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: April 29 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 531	Posted: August 15 2006 at 17:22
	Oh yeah I like odd meters (being a drummer, I very much like to play them). Today I listened to UK's 'in the dead of night, by the light of day', and that's a very cool song with all the time changes. BB is a master of odd meters.

Rotten Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Newbie Joined: August 11 2006 Status: Offline Points: 3	Posted: August 15 2006 at 17:18
	I remember listening to Rush when I was real young, before I knew about time signatures and just figured that everything was in 4, but that they either added or subtracted a beat here and there. Since then, I've learned to look for the patterns and it is a lot of fun. I've taught my kids how much fun they are because you can dance to them when you figure them out. For intance, in 5 you can dance to it like it is in 4 and then you get a pose at the end; they like that one. To me, the key is when an odd time signature sounds natural, not like it is in the time signature for the sake of complexity. I thought Rush was really good at that. I think it is because their drum could rock out. So, yeah, I love'em.

Leningrad Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: August 15 2006 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 7991	Posted: August 15 2006 at 17:18
	Really? Well, what I found was something like this... bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum repeated over and over. But your way's cooler.

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Guest Group	Posted: August 15 2006 at 17:15
	The apocalype breaks donw to an actual division of 4 + 2 + 3 /8, but since the 4, 2, 3 groupings repeat consistently throughout the section the time signature is given as 9/8. Yeah, odd meters are fun.

Leningrad Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: August 15 2006 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 7991	Posted: August 15 2006 at 16:37
	One of the reasons I listen to prog is for the crazy time signatures. For some reason, the more changes, the better. I like to be challenged by my prog. A year ago, I actually sat down after listening to Foxtrot and tried to decipher Apocalypse in 9/8 on paper. Anyone else feel the same? Probably not, but it's worth a check...