Does time signature need to be strict?

[Jono-60]

I came up with some ideas for a song on guitar. I was quite happy with it, until I tried to create a drum track which I do in a software host. I didn't realise it until then that the timing is all messed up and I can't figure it out. Sometimes its 3/3, sometimes 3/4 and then others I have no idea

I'm not too knowledgable when it comes to theory, so maybe its something simple.

But anyway, more to the point. Do you think time signature in a song should be strict? Am I allowed to change it constantly throughout a song?

[VicDiesel]

Am I allowed to change it constantly throughout a song?

Of course. The fact that you weren't even aware that this was happening means that it's perfectly natural at least to one person on earth.

Victor.

[runagate]

What is 3/3 time!?!?
I thought Western notation called this something else.

I basically never use consistantly-the-same meters when I'm not scoring in a DAW.

[videzyrah]

Am I allowed to change it constantly throughout a song?

If you're playing by yourself do whatever you want.
If you want 'me' to play drums with you though, you'd better be able to provide me with a very good roadmap as to when such changes will occur if you expect me to be able to follow you.

[JumpingJackFlash]

What is 3/3 time!?!?
I thought Western notation called this something else.

Indeed. You cannot have 3/3 time, or anything/3 time. What you probably mean is 6/8.

And yes, there are quite a few examples of Modern music which changes time signature very frequently, sometimes even every bar.

For detailed info on time-signatures, consult my Introduction to Time-Signatures

[rp314]

If you want 'me' to play drums with you though, you'd better be able to provide me with a very good roadmap as to when such changes will occur if you expect me to be able to follow you.

Yeah, this sort of gets to much of what brought about our traditional form of notating music. Sometimes the topics of music theory and notation are viewed from the angle of the composer or arranger. In fact, much of what exists is due to the demands faced by instrumentalists in orchestras that are expected to play music from various periods, different regions of the world and varying aesthetic styles. If you ever had the job of playing a concert that includes Bach, Rossini, Grieg and Stravinsky (to name just a few in the regular repertoire), the wisdom of our existing system of music notation would become quite obvious.

That said, if you are making music in other settings, or are an established composer, you can generally avail yourself of creative license. However, learning the traditional methods can still be useful.

[Nystul]

The most important thing is to make sure the beat is clearly understood, either for the musicians reading your score or for yourself when you try to make it work in your sequencer. Otherwise, you can pretty much use any number of beats in any measure if it suits the nature of the music.

The exception would be marches, waltzes, and any form of dance music. For music with this function, the number of beats per measure has to be strictly maintained in most cases. It is hard to keep your feet on the beat if the beat keeps changing.

[scobbah]

Do you think time signature in a song should be strict? Am I allowed to change it constantly throughout a song?

Whether you like their style or not, you should give Meshuggah a listen. They tend to change the time signature very often in their tracks. Needless to say, they are incredibly talented musicians. Hey, why don't you check out some of their live performances on YouTube?

.. ahh Meshuggah

[declassified]

The exception would be marches, waltzes, and any form of dance music. For music with this function, the number of beats per measure has to be strictly maintained in most cases. It is hard to keep your feet on the beat if the beat keeps changing.

regarding your restriction about dance music: i have been experimenting with a continous 1/4 pulse, which means that a standard house kick is on the 1/4th notes, but there's no "bar". result: no catastrophe, but quite hard to arrange because the 4/8/16/32 bar scheme doesn't apply.

[lshea]

Consider "Four Sticks" by Led Zeppelin. The main riff alternates betwwen 5/4 and 6/8. Without an understanding of time signatures it sounds completely natural.

[be]

Or "Money" by Pink Floyd, which is mostly 7/4 but changes to 4/4 for the guitar solo (cause it was easier to play in 4/4 for David Gilmour).

[borntik]

Am I allowed to change it constantly throughout a song?

If you're playing by yourself do whatever you want.
If you want 'me' to play drums with you though, you'd better be able to provide me with a very good roadmap as to when such changes will occur if you expect me to be able to follow you.

Well - In Radiohead - the drummer sits there with a note pad and plays the guitar parts on tape and writes the time sig. changes down then plays/works out the drums to the feel of the guitar rythm.

[lshea]

Or "Money" by Pink Floyd, which is mostly 7/4 but changes to 4/4 for the guitar solo (cause it was easier to play in 4/4 for David Gilmour).

Indeed, but I'm thinking of an example where the time signature changes "mid-riff" rather than between sections.

[blurk]

Or "Money" by Pink Floyd, which is mostly 7/4 but changes to 4/4 for the guitar solo (cause it was easier to play in 4/4 for David Gilmour).

Actually it's 7/4 and 5/4 (that's how it was notated in the sheet music, IIRC), with the solo in 4/4.

[duncanparsons]

hmmm... Actually Actually it's notated in 4/4 and 3/4 because publishers are scared of using 7/4 [and the solo is really in 12/8]..

you'll see a number of Genesis tunes (wrongly) notated in combinations of 3/4 and 4/4: consider 'Turn it on Again', Tony Banks claims it's in 13/4, strict interpretation suggests alternating 6/4 and 7/4, sheet music often gives 4/4, 2/4, 4/4, 3/4 It makes the sheet music very hard to follow, and 13 is too much to count easily, especially since it doesn't conform to well known groupings of 4 - giving the middle option as the preferred one for many

DSP