Time signatures

Hmm, this is quite a complicated question. My drummer back in Chile taught me. He always told me that you have to "feel" the music, "feel" the rhythm, and after I realized how to know what time signature each song is in I understood what he meant by "feel" the music. Basically what you have to do is count notes, start real easy with something that's obviously in 4/4, some Jamiroquai maybe, or most stuff that's commercial nowadays. Just count as the music goes by...1.2.3.4...1.2.3.4. It's like a clock 1.2.3.4. Then find something that's in 3/4, try to find it by yourself, something that you might dance a Waltz to, something that makes you sway...like Neal Morse's "Outside Looking In" or A Perfect Circle's "Judith" or Tool's "Push*t" or Yes' "We Have Heaven" (that's a pretty clear one). I don't know, just count how many beats you hear in between the accentuation of the drums. The drummer has to accentuate certain notes so you'll hear big beat and then a couple of lower sounding beats then another big beat and that second big beat will mark the start of the next stanza so you'll start counting again.

3/4 :

Big beat =1

Small Beat = 2

Small Beat = 2

Big beat = 1 again and repeat.

I really hope this helps because it helped me a lot with my guitar, I have a better understanding of musice now...and all thanks to my drummer. Thanks Jonathan if you're reading this, you taught me a lot...

3/4 = The three means that the song has three beats per measure. Once those three beats are done, then your in a new measure, and you count to three agian.
The four means that the quarter note gets counted three times.

If the song is in 3/8 then that means each measure is three beats long. The eight means that you count it twice as fast as you would in 3/4 time, since 8 is twice that of 4. The eight meaning that the eighth note gets counted three times. All music consists of measure and all measures are a certain amount of time, usually in incriments of 4. If the amount of time that a measure is,(the bottom of a time signature), is 16 then that usually means you would count the measure quickly, in this case 4 times as fast as a song conducted in 3/4.

Siberian Khatru is played in the time of, 15/16, meaning that the song is obviously fast, (16), and that the song is counted in incriments of 15, (15), and so you have the time of 15/16.

Confused?  I'm sure you are, it is confusing to learn by reading, you need someone that knows how to do this to be there with you to explain.

Zoso wrote: Right, it's all about feeling the rhythm. Listen to "Money" by Pink Floyd, a song that's in 7/8. Tap your foot along with the bassline, and you'll see that there are 7 beats for every time through the phrase. It will be obvious once you do it. Now for something harder. Listen to the opening riff in YYZ by Rush, and see if you can pick out how it's in 5/4. It's not as obvious as in Money, but it's there. When you hear something funny, try to just break it down and tap your foot along with it, counting how many beats are in each phrase.

Money has a triplet feel. It is one measure of 12/8 followed by one measure of 9/8, or 21/8. You can tap the triplets between the beats easier than doing 16th notes.

Duncan wrote: Catholic Flame wrote: 6/8 has the pulse of a slow 2. 12/8 would be the pulse of a slow 4. 13/8 would be the slow 4 plus the extra 13. It's called a compound rhythm because the beats cannot be divided into two. There are three going across each of the pulses. Plus the 13th throws in more complexity.   Yeah, and 9/8 divides into a slow 3. Exactly like Apocalypse in 9/8 doesn't.

Right, time signatures can be divided in multiple ways. 9/8, for example can be played like 3 triplets, or as a measure of 4/4 with an extra 8th note thrown in (or a 5/4 missing an 8th note).

Catholic Flame wrote: Duncan wrote: Catholic Flame wrote: 6/8 has the pulse of a slow 2. 12/8 would be the pulse of a slow 4. 13/8 would be the slow 4 plus the extra 13. It's called a compound rhythm because the beats cannot be divided into two. There are three going across each of the pulses. Plus the 13th throws in more complexity. Yeah, and 9/8 divides into a slow 3. Exactly like Apocalypse in 9/8 doesn't. I'm talking the pulse, not the beat. It does divide into 3.

but Apocalypse almost sounds as if its not in 9/8, I think thats why its in the title because they did such a good job at 9/8 it sounds so right you wouldn't think its in 9/8

(I tell you as a musician) For example, we take this:

6/4

6 represents the number of times the time signature is repeated.

4 represents the time signature ( for example these ones , I really don't know how are they called in english  -remember, I talk spanish-).

Hope you understand it .

Oh and listen to Fandango by Pain of Salvation, that seems to be in 5/4, very interesting. Also "A Trace of Blood" by Pain of Salvation as well, that's in 7/4. But if you're looking for really messed up time signatures listen to TOOL specially "The Grudge" and "AEnima" which is kind of freaky at the end. If you want more of a challange try King Crimson, they're masters at it, just listen to "21st Century Schizoid Man" and try to find out the time signature there and then work your way into their stuff that way, you'll be surprised at how many things you can do with a simple rhythm.