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Thread: odd time signatures!

  1. #1

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    Default odd time signatures!

    im really interested in playing odd time signatures but its pretty hard to flow with them for me right now.. any excerices, good ways to count or anything that can help?

    edit: yeah i also need help in actually finding out what time signature im listening to because sometimes its just too hard =[ (try meshuggah, dream theater and tool)
    Last edited by Hedon-; 11-25-2008 at 11:22 PM.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: odd time signatures!

    Quote Originally Posted by Hedon- View Post
    im really interested in playing odd time signatures but its pretty hard to flow with them for me right now.. any excerices, good ways to count or anything that can help?

    edit: yeah i also need help in actually finding out what time signature im listening to because sometimes its just too hard =[ (try meshuggah, dream theater and tool)
    HOLA como estas Mi amigo HEDON*CREATIVE ARTISTIC OPEN MINDED DRUMMER ARTIST(CAT) within alot of aware-ness WISDOM KNOWLEDGE***I Love odd time signatures (ODD-METERS) ASYMMETRIC**
    METERS**so just feel the COUNT of FOR SAY 5/4 JUST COUNT 12345 BUT *
    THE ARTIST can also USE MANY BREAK-DOWNS within the actual COUNT
    for instance 12121 *12312 *12123 *12341*or within 7/4 *1212123* Or 1234567
    1234123* 1212312*THESE EXAMPLES ARE VERY SIMPLE ONES and all ODD METERS(TIME-SIGNATURES* CAN ALL SWING AND GET VERY RHYTHMICAL (SYCOPATED) within ROJO CALIENTE ACCENTED FUNKY RHYTHMS THE COMBINATIONS ARE INFINITE REALLY ** ODD METERS of 11/4 15/4*17/4 *ARE* ALOT more involved*As these METERS STILL flow within AMAZING STUCTURES of MANY EASTERN WAYS *(MUSIC)
    AND alot of STAN KENTONS PROGRESSIVE IMPROVASITIONAL JAZZ *DON ELLIS DAVE BURBECK and COUNT-LESS MORE artist use THESE ODD METERS
    and really create amazing TEXTURED STRUCTURED ACCENTED AND VERY **
    COLORED FULL ARRAY of INFINITE TONES AND ROJO CALIENTE RHYTHMS**
    THEIR JUST AMAZING ROJO CALIENETE * BE creative within your Own DISTINCT UNIQUE ARTISTRY ****within all your JOURNEYS amigo GRACIAS
    Last edited by STICKSWIZZARDDRAGON; 11-26-2008 at 04:38 AM.

  3. #3

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    Default Re: odd time signatures!

    Odd Time signatures really are not that odd!! here is a great vid that will really help anyone who is interested in approaching different time/measures.

    its 18mins long but but its really clear with a great approach and sooo much more interesting than me typing away for 4 hours. good luck and Im glad u want to understand time, your playing will become much more musical.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8lejCJM3f8



    Official cowbell hater.

  4. #4

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    Default Re: odd time signatures!

    Make sure that you aren't always hitting the crash cymbal on the 1. I've found that for me, at least, the odd time signatures flow more if you leave out the crash cymbal on the 1 more often than not, just like in 4/4 beats.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: odd time signatures!

    One easy way to think of odd times is that they are combinations of 2, 3, & 4 beats. My instructor showed me this as a way to count out and feel odd times, and he got it off of someone well-known, not sure who:

    2 beats -Ta ka

    3 beats = ta ka da

    4 beats = ta ka da ma

    When writing songs, saying these out loud will give great ideas for grooves.

    So a measure of 11/4, counted 4 3 2 2, could be: ta ka da ma, ta ka da, ta ka, ta ka.

    The feel of the Primus song 'Eleven' would be ta ka da, ta ka da, ta ka da, ta ka
    And the trees are all kept equal by hatchet, axe, and saw. . .

  6. #6

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    Default Re: odd time signatures!

    ^^great advice. if you're unsure of what the time signatures are in a song try finding the drumtabs for them. also, if you're beginning with playing odd tie sigs try staying away from complicated songs like all the dream theater ones. these songs have a lot of different time sigs which will make it really confusing and irritating if you're just a starter.

  7. #7

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    Default Re: odd time signatures!

    Quote Originally Posted by =^-..-^= View Post
    One easy way to think of odd times is that they are combinations of 2, 3, & 4 beats. My instructor showed me this as a way to count out and feel odd times, and he got it off of someone well-known, not sure who:

    2 beats -Ta ka

    3 beats = ta ka da

    4 beats = ta ka da ma

    When writing songs, saying these out loud will give great ideas for grooves.

    So a measure of 11/4, counted 4 3 2 2, could be: ta ka da ma, ta ka da, ta ka, ta ka.

    The feel of the Primus song 'Eleven' would be ta ka da, ta ka da, ta ka da, ta ka
    ************************************************** ****

    I learned something new today...thanks for sharing! I guess I always kept a solid feel of dominant to sub-dominant beats when playing odd meters. Never was much of a problem but I like the method you explained above...much simpler.
    There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value.

    http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...vaz/TheSet.jpg

  8. #8

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    Default Re: odd time signatures!

    Here's my approach to odd times:

    Take your top number and divide by 3. Then take that number and use it to play half of the first bar. Then for the second half of the bar, you'll multiply the bottom number by 2 and add 5.

    Try it!

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