KVR Audio

PugFace · Post by **PugFace** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 12:49 pm

Anybody using weird time signatures?
And getting away with it.

The 4/4 is by far the most used.

Anybody writing stuff in some strange time signatures. Jazz or Ambient goes in this territory
may be.

I am interested to know if anybody is pushing the limits.

Wopelka · Post by **Wopelka** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 1:03 pm

yep, i like to try weird time signature, like 5/4 7/4

instant outter-world kind of feel

did you know that Pink Floyd's Money was built on such a ground, too?

McLilith · Post by **McLilith** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 1:14 pm

PugFace wrote:Anybody using weird time signatures?

What time signatures do you consider weird? Just for fun, I tried setting Cubasis to 7/4 a couple times.

For what it's worth, I always wanted to hear some pieces written in very unusual time signatures, such as 5/3, 5/7, or 7/11. Trouble is, there is no musical notation to document such music, at least not to my knowledge. (It should be easy enough to compose such music on a computer, but I know of no one doing it.) Of course, it would require some mental adaptation as well.

I also wanted to hear some more examples of quintuplets, septuplets, etc. Triplets seem to be the only such variation in common use.

later,
McLilith

Jazz Franco · Post by **Jazz Franco** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:03 pm

McLilith wrote: For what it's worth, I always wanted to hear some pieces written in very unusual time signatures, such as 5/3, 5/7, or 7/11.

later,
McLilith

I guess the easiest way to try this is using a tracker. I've tried smth in this vein using psycle

DevonB · Post by **DevonB** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:13 pm

Hell, I wonder if Mr. Solida even KNOWS what 4/4 timing is!

I come up with some weird timing sigs sometimes. I wrote one piece in 21/4 before, but it was what I was hearing in my head, and that's how it came out. (Actually, it was 10/4 and 11/4 that alternated back and forth on each pass.) Tush is good for 'odd' time signatures and getting away with it. I'm sure plenty of people can name off other bands and popular songs that are in 5/4, 7/8, etc too.

Devon

Scot Solida · Post by **Scot Solida** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:29 pm

Here are a couple of 7/8 ditties:

http://www.olscratchrecordings.com/Soun ... id_Har.mp3

http://www.olscratchrecordings.com/Soun ... 20Evil.mp3

I actually prefer writing in 7/8 and 5/4 rather than 4/4, but I am not sure listeners would care for an entire record in either time signature. 9/8 and 11/8 can be fun, too.

jens · Post by **jens** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:34 pm

I'm using sometimes unusual time-signatures (e.g.
11/16, 7/8 etc.) for my rather poppy stuff -
I don't like it to sound obvious though

MickGael · Post by **MickGael** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:38 pm

I used 7/8 quite a bit, sometimes 5/x - but that hardly seems to be exotic anymore.

Brings to mind an article I read about Rush years ago that was called "The Band That Make 7/8 Safe for the World" (or something like that)

Markleford · Post by **Markleford** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:39 pm

All the freakin' time.

http://www.markleford.com/music/files/0 ... appish.mp3
http://www.markleford.com/music/files/0 ... rd_GPP.mp3
http://www.markleford.com/music/files/0 ... _Bloog.mp3
http://www.markleford.com/music/files/0 ... _Robot.mp3
http://www.markleford.com/music/files/0 ... gasgig.mp3
http://www.markleford.com/music/files/0 ... cksong.mp3

(all selections under 1:30)

- m

cloudspine · Post by **cloudspine** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:40 pm

How do you know what timing you're composing in? By the timing of the project in your host?
I mean, all of my projects start in the default 4/4 120 bpm in Acid Pro, but everything I record (evolving drum rhythms and ambiences) goes into the project as a one-shot irrespective of the length (or timing and tempo of the drum groove).
I guess changing the Acid settings would make no difference whatsoever...
I guess what I'm saying is that all I care for is that the drum groove and ambience sound to my liking. I couldn't care/know less about what timing they're in...

donkey tugger · Post by **donkey tugger** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:45 pm

I started writing something in 5/4 once, but when I realized what I was doing, I slapped meself about a bit, had a cold bath, then swore I'd never do it again.

Shane Sanders · Post by **Shane Sanders** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:46 pm

cloudspine wrote:How do you know what timing you're composing in? By the timing of the project in your host?
I mean, all of my projects start in the default 4/4 120 bpm in Acid Pro, but everything I record (evolving drum rhythms and ambiences) goes into the project as a one-shot irrespective of the length (or timing and tempo of the drum groove).
I guess changing the Acid settings would make no difference whatsoever...
I guess what I'm saying is that all I care for is that the drum groove and ambience sound to my liking. I couldn't care/know less about what timing they're in...

Hi Maumer!

I suppose time signatures can be thought of as the rhythmic map of a tune. It's not essential to know what time signature you are using, but it helps tremendously if one is doing metric modulations within a host. You'd need to know when and where to change beat subdivisions, etc.

From what you've said, it seems like you mostly use the host as a place to store performances rather than as a master clock.

BTW, I know I owe you an email. My apologies!

-Shane

MickGael · Post by **MickGael** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:49 pm

Hey markelford,
"Zappish" is fun.

You should try a version where the melody is carried by Mother "Uncel Meat" era combination of acoustic guitar and vibes/marimba...

Nifty.

torhan · Post by **torhan** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:52 pm

I usually use a.m. and p.m. for time signatures.

Phaedo · Post by **Phaedo** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 3:03 pm

The real challenge is making it sound normal. Listen to "Try not to breathe" or "Straight to my heart" (REM and Sting) and collapse in approval.

Of course, "collapse in approval" was an old advert for Genesis, just before they treated the world to Apocalypse in 9/8.