❌Monthly Song Challenge: Archived🎵

Day 28: A song that uses an unconventional time signature

David Gilmore has famously (well, among some people) said that "Money" is 7/8 time. Every band I have played it with has done it in 7/4. Either way, it is a fantastic song. This is a cover by The Dan Reed Network because I need some extra energy this morning, and I love Melvin Brannon's double tap on the bass line.

"Money," Dan Reed Network (7/8 or 7/4, depending on who you ask.)

 
Day 28: A song that uses an unconventional time signature

Pyramid Song - Radio Head

This song was referenced in the discussion of the first episode of Severance and I really liked it. I remembered the first comment on the YouTube video and sure enough, it fits the theme ☺️

The comment -

“each bar of this song has two dotted quavers, a crotchet, and two more dotted quavers. if you think about this in 16ths per bar, this equated to the notes equaling 3, 3, 4, 3, 3. a pyramid has four triangles and one square that make up the shape. this rhythm LITERALLY makes this song a pyramid i looooooove it i looooove radiohead”

Love it. I feel like Radiohead could have a ton of songs on this list.
 
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Day 28: A song that uses an unconventional time signature

I don’t know a lot about the technicalities of music but I know this song has shifting time signatures. I think like 5 of them?

The Beatles - Happiness Is a Warm Gun

I had no idea what time signatures were so googled it. LOL
Basic time signatures: 4/4, also known as common time; 2/2, also known as cut time or cut-common time (cut time); plus 2/4; 3/4; and 6/8.
 
Day 28: A song that uses an unconventional time signature

I’m oblivious to such things, but after a deep dive down the rabbit hole 🐇 🕳️ , I found this. And this may be an all time first: a crossover post between two of @morelikeasong MLAS’ greatest threads — the song challenge and the helicockter threads.

May I present to you a song that simultaneously offers up an 8/4 time signature, and the dick trick to end all dick tricks:

 
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Day 28: A song that uses an unconventional time signature
Fantastic prompt! Do I have the musical journey for you...

The way he plays with the time signature to convey his message AND to control the audience- the man is a master of his craft!


Dark Side - Tim Minchin
I think people forget how great of a musician he is and focus only on his comedy. Such a talent.
 
Day 28: A song that uses an unconventional time signature

"Take Me to Church" by Hozier primarily uses a 6/4 time signature in the verses and switches to a more familiar 4/4 time signature in other sections

Verses:
The verses are predominantly in 6/4, which contributes to the song's distinctive rhythmic feel.
Other Sections: While the verses are in 6/4, other parts of the song, including the chorus, switch to a more common 4/4 time signature.
Tempo: The song has a slow tempo, with sheet music showing a BPM of 63.
Key: The song is in the key of E minor.

Hozier - Take Me To Church​


 
Day 28: A song that uses an unconventional time signature
https://c.tenor.com/h5ZCsFKU-FIAAAAC/tenor.gif
I can Google until the cows come home, I don't get the finer (or rougher) points of musical composition and I likely never will. I can feel the pace changing and I think maybe that's the point? Feel free to explain it to me like I'm five. Or don't, I still won't get it.

Dionne Warwick - I Say A Little Prayer
 
Day 28: A song that uses an unconventional time signature
https://c.tenor.com/h5ZCsFKU-FIAAAAC/tenor.gif
I can Google until the cows come home, I don't get the finer (or rougher) points of musical composition and I likely never will. I can feel the pace changing and I think maybe that's the point? Feel free to explain it to me like I'm five. Or don't, I still won't get it.

Dionne Warwick - I Say A Little Prayer
that was my feeling when i saw the topic too...luckily for google, i was able to find a song i really liked. this was my backup option though, so good on you for choosing it.
 
Day 28: A song that uses an unconventional time signature

I know what a time signature is, but I’ll be goddamed if I could tell you what an unconventional one is. I played drums for a few years in the 80s for some local hardcore bands. The only thing I knew was 4/4 and 2/4. I would not call myself a drummer.

Google to the rescue. Can’t find any real hardcore songs. I guess 4/4 is the beat of choice for hardcore and punk rock.

But I always liked this song (thanks google) by Led Zep and always thought the drumming sounded sorta off. Now I know why. It’s a combination of standard 4/4 but goes into 7/8. Bonzos drumming really stands out anyway, but now that I know this, it stands out even more.

Led Zeppelin - The Ocean
 
Can I just say I love how many musical theory nerds we have up in this place?
For anyone who wants to get their Beatles geek on, there's a great video talking about how they change up time signatures quite often. This was not a common thing back then, it was almost frowned upon as breaking the rules of music.

Happiness is in here and it's the most interesting. It even has a polymeter, Ringo playing in a different time signature than the rest of the band.

 
Day 28: A song that uses an unconventional time signature

"Take Me to Church" by Hozier primarily uses a 6/4 time signature in the verses and switches to a more familiar 4/4 time signature in other sections

Verses:
The verses are predominantly in 6/4, which contributes to the song's distinctive rhythmic feel.
Other Sections: While the verses are in 6/4, other parts of the song, including the chorus, switch to a more common 4/4 time signature.
Tempo: The song has a slow tempo, with sheet music showing a BPM of 63.
Key: The song is in the key of E minor.

Hozier - Take Me To Church​



Sergei Polunin !!
 
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