To Gain Ancient Knowledge *asymmetric Meters

[STICKSWIZZARDDRAGON]

Hola to all VERY CREATIVE ARTISTIC OPEN MINDED DRUMMER ARTIST * ENJOY your JOURNEYS**
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Signatures that do not fit into the usual duple or triple categories are known as complex, asymmetric, or irregular, although these are broad terms, and usually a more specific description is appropriate. Most often these can be recognised by the upper number being 5, 7, or a larger prime number. The earliest examples of irregular signatures are found in instrumental music by Giovanni Valentini (1582–1649), written in 5/4, 7/8, etc.[citation needed] Although these more complex meters were common in non-Western music, they were rarely used in formal written Western music until the late 19th century . The waltz-like second movement of Tchaikovsky's Pathétique Symphony is an example of 5/4. Examples from the 20th century include Holst's "Mars, the Bringer of War", (5/4) from the orchestral suite The Planets, and the ending of Stravinsky's Firebird (7/4).

Examples from the Western popular music tradition include the Allman Brothers Band's "Whipping Post" (11/4), Nick Drake's "River Man" (5/4), Soundgarden's "Outshined" (7/4), Alice In Chains' "Them Bones" (7/8 in the verse and 4/4 in the chorus), Radiohead's "15 Step" (5/4), "2+2=5" (7/8 then 4/4) and "Paranoid Android" (includes 7/8),[3] Metallica's "Blackened" (7/4 pre-verse, 6/4 verse and 4/4 chorus), "Smile" by The Fall (10/4), Sufjan Stevens' "A Good Man is Hard to Find" (5/4), and Incubus' "Make Yourself" (main verse riff is a bar of 7/8 followed by a bar of 4/4). Progressive rock music made large use of unusual time as a defining characteristic; examples include "Money" (mostly 7/4, with the guitar solo in 4/4), from Pink Floyd, and "Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper" by Dream Theater. Beginning of instrumental section in 13/8, broken down as 6/8 + 7/8, and later as 4/4 + 5/8. A 9/8 meter is used in the song "Jambi" by Tool. Unlike a traditional 9/8 signature, which is divided into three triplets, the main riff of "Jambi" is broken into a quadruplet and a quintuplet.

The jazz composition "Take Five", written in 5/4 time (or more correctly 3+2/4), was one of a number of irregular-meter experiments of The Dave Brubeck Quartet, which also produced compositions in 11/4 ("Eleven Four"), 7/4 ("Unsquare Dance"), and 9/8 ("Blue Rondo à la Turk"), expressed as (2+2+2+3)/8, this last being a good example of a work in a signature which, despite appearing to be merely compound triple, is actually more complex.

It should be pointed out that such time signatures are only considered unusual from a Western point of view. In contrast, for example, Bulgarian dances use such meters extensively, including forms with 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 22, 25 and other numbers of beats per measure. These rhythms are notated as additive rhythms based on simple units, usually 2, 3 and 4 beats, though the notation fails to describe the metric "time bending" taking place; or as compound meters, for example the Bulgarian Sedi Donka, consisting of 25 beats divided 7+7+11, where 7 is subdivided 3+2+2 and 11 is subdivided 2+2+3+2+2 or 4+3+4. See Variants below.

[veafer]

Sticks,thanks for a very thoughtfull and well written thread on "asymetric" meters. To me, it is this kind of "outta of the box" thinking that will take alot of drummers to another level. which is what all of us artists should try to achieve. I look back with great fondness upon mastering Brubecks "Take 5" many a years ago.How hard it was at the time, then having it become second nature playing 5/4 time. I can remember in the 70s and 80s, the progressive jazz styles that required learning many varied time signatures. Man, those were the days. All I would like to add as a little bit of advise from my perspective is that anyone wanting to learn these rhythms,start slow and have patience. It will come to you, and when it does, it's like WOW!!!!!! Watch, Listen and Learn.....the 3 best words of advice ever been given to me in my entire life. Works not only for all of us artists that play the drums, but for everything else in life too. Play the music, pass the art on,and may it last forever.

[gonefishin]

I agree with veafer.....the odd time sigs are definately your style of EXTREME OUT OF THE BOX type playing. Hope all is going well with your journey mi amigo and gracias for posting the good info.

[STICKSWIZZARDDRAGON]

I agree with veafer.....the odd time sigs are definately your style of EXTREME OUT OF THE BOX type playing. Hope all is going well with your journey mi amigo and gracias for posting the good info.

Hola como estas Mi amigo GONEFISHIN *OUTDOORS MAN * creative artistic open minded drummer artist CAT within great wisdom aware-ness knowledge * GRACIAS & DE NADA

[ratmycue]

I Hate Math.....


Long time no speak oh ancient spiritual dragonmaster.....too long for me bud!!

hope to catch on the chatbox sometime, A mee go.

[STICKSWIZZARDDRAGON]

I Hate Math.....


Long time no speak oh ancient spiritual dragonmaster.....too long for me bud!!

hope to catch on the chatbox sometime, A mee go.

HOLA como estas mi amigo EL RATA SMOOTH GATO within great wisdom knowledge AWARE-NESS * your FUNNY DRY but smooth an I know you really LOVE COW-BELLS an RED HOT COMPUTERS *TINY JOKE LAUGH amigo cool to
feel your ENERGY amigo GRACIAS