Favorite Time Signature
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36702
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Topic: Favorite Time Signature
Posted By: Topographic
Subject: Favorite Time Signature
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 03:23
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Well, since prog uses a lot of unusual time signatures, and there are a lot of musically-literate people here, I thought I'd take a poll to see what everyone's favorite time signature is, at least off of this list. Obviously, I can't include every single one, but if there's one or two that's popular but not on the list, I'll add it. For me, it's 13/8. -Topographic Edit: MikeEnRegalia, good point below. Elektrik by King Crimson is partially in 13/8. 10/8 would be a close second, due to Tarkus and Larks' Tongues Part 2. |
Replies:
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 03:26
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^ why don't you also give some examples - songs which use your favorite time signature? I'll post mine later!  ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa/aoty-2024/vote" rel="nofollow - 2024 Release Poll Listened to: 
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Posted By: laplace
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 03:31
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call me mad but I love three beats to the bar in rock, I picked 3/4 for simplicity's sake. a lot of the time I hear a band doing something in 7/8 that would sound better in a more sane signature or meter anyway ;P
------------- FREEDOM OF SPEECH GO TO HELL |
Posted By: KoS
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 03:37
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Solsbury hill in 7/4 only because I can play the damn thing. |
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 03:46
What you can play Moths and you know it...
Quintuple meter, 5/4, let's go Living in the Past! ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
king of Siam wrote:Posted By: KoS
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 03:49
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Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 03:52
Forgot about Living in the Past, or the Great Solsbury Moths conspiracy, or the fact that I can link Tull to anything? ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: KoS
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 03:56
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All of the above.
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Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 04:00
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Right answer. ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 04:48
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I vote for 7/4, although I don't really have a favorite signature ... it's good if it makes sense in the context of the song. Examples for 7/4 songs that I love: - Pink Floyd - Money - Steve Vai - Die to Live ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa/aoty-2024/vote" rel="nofollow - 2024 Release Poll Listened to:
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Posted By: BroSpence
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 10:45
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Nothin' wrong with a good ol' 4/4.
7/8 is pretty great too.
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Posted By: GoldenSpiral
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 16:20
Who needs 'em?  Just drone on and make some tones and feedback. That's the best kind of music! Sometimes I love a tight 7/8 though. See NIN's 'March of the Pigs' for a great example. ------------- http://www.myspace.com/altaic" rel="nofollow - http://www.myspace.com/altaic ALTAIC "Oceans Down You'll Lie" coming soon |
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 17:15
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7/4, totally. It swings and it's subtle enough that you're often not sure what's going one.
Love to Love You by Caravan is a good example. ------------- 
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Posted By: JJLehto
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 17:17
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65/16!!!
That's sexy
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Posted By: rileydog22
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 20:45
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I find seven to be the most natural besides the obvious 3 or 4, but my favorite really weird ones are 13 (like the Faust song known as Psalter (on 71 minutes), Lauft.....(on the original Faust IV), and Giggy Smile (on crappy Faust IV remasters)), and 19 (used by Henry Cow in the verse of Beautiful As The Moon; Terrible as an army with banners).
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Posted By: Sasquamo
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 22:22
| 4/4 |
Posted By: rileydog22
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 22:26
To the prog gallows! ------------- |
Posted By: Chus
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 22:27
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Why should it matter? value more the substance than the form. There can be amazing 4/4 music as there is horrible 11/4 music. ------------- Jesus Gabriel |
Posted By: rileydog22
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 22:36
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I was JOKING.
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Posted By: The T
Date Posted: April 11 2007 at 23:19
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Of course 4/4... It may be the vulgar, common time signature, but some of the greatest music in the world has been on that signature. I'm not particularly fon of 3/4 but less so of regular blues time.. what's that, 6/8? I have problem with triple times when they are slow... ------------- 
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Posted By: Christine
Date Posted: April 12 2007 at 08:02
I chose "other" because there are some compositions written in FREE TIME! I read some music that a friend sent me....& I noticed in the corner of the page it said "free time" (meaning that there is no time signature). It's good to see some progheads that are familiar with theory!  ------------- catsfootironclaw |
Posted By: william314159
Date Posted: April 12 2007 at 11:21
| i've been writing in 7/8 with a 7/4 back beat lately. probably too much 7/8 with a 7/4 backbeat. |
Posted By: rileydog22
Date Posted: April 12 2007 at 19:48
I find free time pretty grating though. I need SOME steady-ish beat , even if it's some weird time signiture. It's like beatless ambiant music, it just bores me when I don't have a beat to grab onto. ------------- |
Posted By: Sasquamo
Date Posted: April 12 2007 at 21:23
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4/4 is the superior, time signature because it can be funky. Skilled bands can make music is odd time signatures so funky and natural you don't even realize it's not 4/4 until you count it out, but a whole lot of prog I've heard is painfully obvious about it's odd meters, and it just sounds bad. I also don't understand the need to constantly switch time signatures, like every four measures, it just sounds weird. If you're going to choose something strange, stick with it and don't change it unless you're going to make the change last. |
Posted By: Chus
Date Posted: April 12 2007 at 21:27
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Jethro Tull is a band that comes to mind (except perhaps APP). They manage to focus more on the substance, so while they do employ odd time signatures I, for one, am able to listen to and enjoy the harmony, melody and rhythm, instead of focusing on the math ------------- Jesus Gabriel |
Posted By: Draconean
Date Posted: April 13 2007 at 10:51
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6/8 (Flamenco) ------------- I'm running still, I shall until, one day I hope that I'll arrive |
Posted By: jikai55
Date Posted: April 14 2007 at 08:15
| 5/4. Have A Cigar! |
Posted By: Philéas
Date Posted: April 14 2007 at 17:07
| Mmm 7/4! |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April 15 2007 at 22:25
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My favourite time is Happy Hour. OOPS, misread your question ... I'll get back some time when I have more time to pick the best time. SIgnature, that is. |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: August 15 2007 at 16:47
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My first vote was 13/8. I'd like to change to 17/8 for that haiku feel. ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow">  https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: August 15 2007 at 17:50
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8/8 (3+3+2) ------------- What? |
Posted By: fungusucantkill
Date Posted: August 15 2007 at 18:18
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7/8 and 11/8.
i like messing around transition wise.
like from 4 to 5 to 3 to 7 to 11 and back. keeps me on my feet -------------  
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Posted By: Shakespeare
Date Posted: August 15 2007 at 22:19
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Apocalypse in So, naturally, I voted 4/4. |
Posted By: Leningrad
Date Posted: August 15 2007 at 23:40
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Either 7/4 or 7/8. It's like you're almost at the last beat... "OH!!! THERE IT GOES!!! IT JUST WENT BACK TO THE START!!! SOMEBODY CHECK THE TURNTABLE!! POLTERGEISTS ARGHHHHADUISFGFHIKSHFG!!!"
In my world, anyway.
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Posted By: The Doctor
Date Posted: August 15 2007 at 23:46
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65/16 rocks them all. Although I don't think I've ever heard a song in 65/16 and I'm not sure it would even be possible for humans to play in such a time, it still rocks! ------------- I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you? |
Posted By: StyLaZyn
Date Posted: August 16 2007 at 16:28
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7/4 and 7/8 have always felt second nature to me. ------------- 
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Posted By: rileydog22
Date Posted: August 16 2007 at 17:08
King Crimson uses it several times on the Discipline album. ------------- |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: August 16 2007 at 21:28
Sure its possible to play, as long as the tempo is like 3. ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow"> https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: Floydian42
Date Posted: August 17 2007 at 14:09
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Dream Theater.
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Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: August 18 2007 at 14:19
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11/8 has no votes? I have found myself writting in that time signature in two songs, without realising... love it!!!
------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?" 
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Posted By: The T
Date Posted: August 19 2007 at 14:04
| Whatever time signature works for the song.. If I like a song, I won't be thinking "wait, it's not in 17/8, it's not prog enough, I shouldn't like it".... |