David Kaplowitz's Odd Time Page

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Works in "Irregular" Time Signatures

Note: I took this from this article on Wikipedia. I was really psyched about the article when I found it. At that time there were only 2 Zappa references in the whole article, which is sad in a discussion of odd times. So I started contributing as much as I could. Then it started turning into a silly "bigger is better" contest with some dunce (or a couple of dunces) adding up as many measures as they could count into one jumbo time signature. Yeah! Some asshole had "The Ocean" by Led Zeppelin under the 15/4 heading. Another dimwit recently had a song in 133/32, but he didn't know the name of the song. (I guess he wins) Anyway, I did my best to ignore these clods where possible and to debunk them when I had access to the music and could figure out what they were claiming was in some absurdly large numbered time signature. For instance, adding 3 meas. of 5/8, 1 of 4/8, 3 of 6/8 and another of 4/8 into 41/8 in a song that didn't even have a phrase that would support "41" in the case of "Wait for Sleep" by Dream Theater. While discussing this in the notes in that article, I was informed by another member of the wiki that Wikipedia's supposed to be about references to "established" or published authorities on the subject. So my entries for Zappa songs that aren't officially transcribed or published somewhere are considered "original research" and thus are frowned upon in the wikipedia community -- even though I can tell them how the beats are layed out and it's all easily verifiable. (In the words of the immortal Frank Rizzo: "Open your ears, Jerky!") So at that point I decided I'd invest my time on such things elsewhere, rather than contribute to an article that will probably get wacked at some point because a majority of it is "original research". Here's what I've come up with. Disclaimer: I have yet to verify much of this, so a lot of it is likely incorrect. As time permits I will go back and verify and correct where needed. If you see inaccuracies, please do contact me and let me know what you think. Also, if I've infringed on any copyrights, it was purely by mistake. Let me know where I've erred and I will correct it, if it's a valid claim. I'm very much open to discussion about what goes here. With that said, feast your beats on the following

Songs in 5, aka quintuple meter

(c.138 BC) First Delphic Hymn, Ancient Greek (anonymous); earliest significant notated example of Western music (1516-1520) Las mis penas madre, a villancico by Pedro de Escobar (1516-1520) Amor con fortuna, a villancico by Juan del Encina (1881) Scherzo-finale from Piano Concerto Op. 2 by Anton Arensky (1893) "Pathetique Symphony" by Tchaikovsky (second movement) (1909) "Isle of the Dead" by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1912) The final dance ("Danse gnrale") from Daphnis et Chlo by Maurice Ravel (1916) "Mars" by Gustav Holst (from The Planets) (1916) "Neptune" by Gustav Holst (from The Planets) (1939) "Sonata Mexicana" by Manuel Ponce (the slow movement) (1959) "Take Five" by The Dave Brubeck Quartet (from Time Out (1961) "Far More Blue" by Dave Brubeck (1962) "Castilian Blues" by Dave Brubeck (1962) "Countdown" by Dave Brubeck (1966) "Mission: Impossible Theme Song" by Lalo Schifrin 1 (1971) "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin (shifts between 3/4, 4/4, and 5/4) (1971) "Heart of the Sunrise" by Yes (1972) "Living in the Past" by Jethro Tull (1974) "Rock The Boat" by Hues Corporation (pre-chorus only) (1978) "Theme from Halloween" by John Carpenter (1981) "Face Dances Part Two" by Pete Townshend (1981) "five-five-FIVE" by Frank Zappa. 2 measures of 5/8 followed by a measure of 5/4 for the whole song. (1981) "The Deathless Horsie" by Frank Zappa. (1986) "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" by Metallica (1987) "That Time of the Night" by Marillion (Intro only, the rest of the song is 4/4, thanks DT!) (1989) "Zombie Eaters" by Faith No More - has sections in 3/4, 5/8 and 4/4 (1989) "Easter (final part)" by Marillion (1991) "Divine Step (Conspectu Mortis)" by Coroner (1991) "Here Come the Bastards" by Primus

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David Kaplowitz's Odd Time Page

http://dkap.info/oddtime.php

(1991) "Innuendo" by Queen (1991) "The Righteous & The Wicked" by Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991) "Nosferatu Man" by Slint (1993) "Seven Days" by Sting (1994) "My Wave" by Soundgarden (1995) "Through Racism Forms" by Hieronymus Bosch (1995) "Dreaming Of You" by Selena (1995) "Batwanese Beek" by Warda Al-Jazairia (1997) "Rickets" by Deftones (1997) "Where The Wild Things Are" by Metallica (1997) "Parsec" by Stereolab. (1990s) "Kagura's Theme" from InuYasha by Kaoru Wada. (2000) "Dark & Grey" by Kid Rock (2000) "Morning Bell" by Radiohead (2001) "5/4" by Gorillaz (2001) "Portrait" by P.O.D. (2001) "The Grudge" by Tool (2002) "Hangin' Tree" by Queens of the Stone Age (2002) "Harbor" by Vienna Teng (It also moves into 7/8 at times) (2005) "Question!" by System of a Down (also moves into 9/8) 1 The theme songs from the M:I feature films (1996 and 2000) use 4/4 by repeating the first three beats of the bass line twice, holding melody notes during that period, and halving each note's duration.

Songs in 7, aka septuple meter

7/4 (1961) "Unsquare Dance" by Dave Brubeck (1962) "Three's A Crowd" by Dave Brubeck (1967) "All You Need Is Love" by John Lennon (features a changing meter, 7/4 and 4/4 for the verses, 4/4 for the choruses) (1973) "Money" by Pink Floyd (1973) "The Battle Of Epping Forest" by Genesis (verse in 7/4, chorus in 4/4, middle section 6/8) (1974) "Lion Tamer" by Stephen Schwartz (from the musical The Magic Show) (1974) "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" by Frank Zappa (1976) "Solsbury Hill" by Peter Gabriel (1977) "Barracuda" by Heart - The last 5 measures of the song are 7/4 (1977) "Estimated Prophet" by Grateful Dead (1978) "Heart of Glass" by Blondie. Contains 3 measures of 7/4 in the very middle of the song. (1980) "Take It Or Leave It" by Madness (1991) "Breadcrumb Trail" by Slint (beginning segment) (1994) "The Best of What's Around" by Dave Matthews Band (1994) "God" by Tori Amos (1995) "Year of the Parrot" by Primus (1997) "Torn" by Creed (1998) "Queen of All Ears" by The Lounge Lizards (2002) "Times Like These" by Foo Fighters (2002) "The Sound of Muzak" by Porcupine Tree (2005) "Shoreline" by Broken Social Scene 7/8 (1915) "Pantomime", from El amor brujo, by Manuel de Falla (1967) "Who's the Thief" by Andrew Lloyd Webber from Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (1973) "The Cinema Show" by Genesis (the song is in 4/4, the extended outro and keyboard solo is in 7/8) (1973) "The Ocean" by Led Zeppelin - The main riff is 4/4 + 7/8, the rest of the song is straight 4/4 time. (1973) "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield (AKA the theme to The Exorcist) - The intro/main theme/motif shifts (more or less) continuously from two measures of 7/8 (2+2+3) and a measure of 9/8 (2+2+3+2) (1974) "Back In N.Y.C." by Genesis (verse is 7/8, first part of chorus 7+7+3 = 17/4, second part of chorus 7+7+3+7+7+4 = 35/8) (1977) "Xanadu" by Rush (constantly changing from 7/8 to 4/4) (1980s) "Marching Season", "Keys to Imagination", "Within Attraction", "Santorini"

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by Yanni (1980) "Natural Science" by Rush (contains several sections of 7/8) (1984) "AC/DC" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Starlight Express (1984) Theme music from The Bill (original mix) (1986) "Hello Radio" by They Might Be Giants (1992) "Them Bones" by Alice In Chains (1992) "Malpractice" by Faith No More (1992) "By Demons Be Driven" by Pantera (1993) "The Munificent Seven" by Sting (1993) "Saint Augustine in Hell" by Sting (1994) "Dreaming In Metaphors" by Seal (1995) "Fireal" by Deftones (1995) "Deadguy" by Ministry (1996) "I Was Brought to My Senses" by Sting (1996) "That, That Is" by Yes (contains several sections of 7/8) (1998) "Dreaming Tree" by Dave Matthews Band (1999) "Next 5 Minutes" by Steven Curtis Chapman (1999) "Rendez-vous 6:02" by UK (2001) "The Leper Affinity" by Opeth (2003) Einstein-Rosen Bridge and Abomination Street by Venetian Snares (2003) "Gravity" by A Perfect Circle (verses and choruses in 3+3+1/8, changes to 5/4 in the bridge, and finally to 4/4 for the final chorus) (2003) "2 + 2 = 5" by Radiohead (first half only, switches to 4/4 from the bridge onwards) 7/16 (1984) "The Attitude Song" by Steve Vai. Steve's heavy guitar riff is in 7/16 (3 eighth notes and a 16th on the end) while the band plays a solid 4/4 beat underneath 9/4 (1974) "Riding The Scree" by Genesis (the extended instrumental sections have a backbeat in 9/4 though the keyboards occasionally play over the top in 4/4) (1979) "Watermelon in Easter Hay" by Frank Zappa. Played as 4/4 & 5/4 (1982) "Sole Survivor" by Asia (1985) "Perfect Strangers" by Deep Purple. (Only the outro and bridge) Played as 4/4 & 5/4. (1991) "No More Tears" by Ozzy Osbourne (2000) "Street Carp" by Deftones (2000) "Last Day on Earth" by Duran Duran. Played as 5/4 & 4/4. 9/8 (1964) "Anyone Who Had a Heart" by Dionne Warwick (1972) "Supper's Ready" by Genesis (from Foxtrot, the "Apocalypse in 9/8" section) (1973) "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield (AKA the theme to The Exorcist) - The intro/main theme/motif shifts continuously from two measures of 7/8 (2+2+3) and a measure of 9/8 (2+2+3+2) (1993) "Textures" by Cynic (1994) "#34" by Dave Matthews Band (1996) "I Hung My Head" by Sting from Mercury Falling (1996) "Never the Machine Forever" by Soundgarden (1998) "Rabbit In Your Headlights" by UNKLE (1999) "Big Lie, Small World" by Sting (2001) "Fool to Think " by Dave Matthews Band - expressed as 2+2+2+3 (used in the Turkish rhythm karsilama) (1959) "Blue Rondo a la Turk" by The Dave Brubeck Quartet (from Time Out) 10/4 (1965) Chichester Psalms's final movement by Leonard Bernstein (3+2+3+2, written with a dotted barline in the middle) (1969) "River Man" by Nick Drake (1971) "Playing In The Band" by Grateful Dead 10/8 (1971) Tarkus by Emerson Lake and Palmer (the basic keyboard riff is in 10/8) (1972) "Thick as a Brick" (excerpts) by Jethro Tull

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(1973) Trilogy's middle section by Emerson Lake and Palmer (1973) "The Dance of Maya" by Mahavishnu Orchestra (1981) "YYZ" by Rush (the intro only) (1991) "No Pain For Cakes" by The Lounge Lizards. The middle of the song is in 10/8 (2-2-3-3). (1993) "Yoru Furu Yuki" by Takehiko Tada. (expressed 6+4) (2001) "The Patient" by Tool (2002) "Lies, Lies, Lies" by Toni Braxton (final part of the song) 11/4 (1874) "Promenade" from Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky (written as 5/4 + 6/4) (1980) "Jacob's Ladder" by Rush. Intro played as 5/4 & 6/4. When the vocals enter, Geddy Lee does a section of 4/4 while the guitar and drums play 5/4 & 6/4 in the background. (1982) "Dirt" by Mission of Burma. Can also be heard as a measure of 4/4, a measure of 3/4 and two measures of 2/4. (2003) "Hey Ya" by Outkast 11/8 (1968) "The Eleven" by Grateful Dead (1969) "Whipping Post" by the Allman Brothers - Intro Only (3+3+3+2) (Thanks AS!) (1971) "Follow Your Heart" Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, from the album My Goals Beyond (1977) "Cygnus X-1" by Rush (parts, written in 3+3+3+2) (1977) "Distant Hills" by Ralph Towner, from the album Solstice Sound and Shadows (1979) "Outside Now" by Frank Zappa. 6/8 & 5/8 (1983) "Tink Walks Amok" by Frank Zappa (bass part is 4+4+3) (1991) "Love Is a Fist" by Mr Bungle (1991) "Eleven" by Primus 3+3+3+2 (1997) "Duchess and the Proverbial Mind Spread" by Primus (2004) "Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With" by King Crimson 13/4 (1980) (1992) (1994) (2004) (2005) 13/8 (1973) "Giggy Smile" by Faust from Faust IV played as 6/8 & 7/8 (1976) "Robbery, Assault And Battery" by Genesis (for over two minutes in the centre of the song - the keyboard solo, a vocal section, and the guitar solo) (1980) "Jacob's Ladder" by Rush, see also 11/4. Towards the end of the song, a 13/8 section is played as 6/8 & 7/8. (1981) "Skimbleshanks" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats (1982) "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers. This piece shifts between a compound duple or compound quadruple (6/8 or 12/8) and a 13/8 signature. (1992) "Thirteen" by Frank Zappa. Played as 4/4 & 5/8. (1993) "Flood" by Tool (2000) "Sleeping Beauty" by A Perfect Circle. One bar of 6/8, then one bar of 7/8. The song shifts into 4/4 later and then back into 6/8. (2000) "Son Song" by Soulfly (2003) "Severance" by Portal 13/16 (2002) "Interlude In Milan" by Planet X (2002) "Mesmer I" by Porcupine Tree 14/4 (1959) "Three To Get Ready" by Dave Brubeck Quartet from Time Out (two bars of 3/4 followed by two bars of 4/4, consistently through the piece) 14/16 "Turn It On Again" by Genesis has a few sections in 13. "Learning To Live" by Dream Theater (piece also includes 15/8, 11/8, 7/4) "The Becoming" by Nine Inch Nails "Sharada" by Skye Sweetnam "The Collector" by Nine Inch Nails

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(1979) "Mad Rush" by Philip Glass 15/4 (1973) (1986) (1992) (1994) (1999) (2003) 15/8 (c.130 AD) Hymn to the Sun by Mesomedes of Crete (1994) "Predictable" by Korn (1994) "Shit Towne" by Live (1994) "Limo Wreck" by Soundgarden (1996) "Let You Down" by Dave Matthews Band (1998) "Soil" by System of a Down 17/4 (1974) "Back In N.Y.C." by Genesis (verse is 7/8, first part of chorus 7+7+3 = 17/4, second part of chorus 7+7+3+7+7+4 = 35/8) (1993) "Pain Divine" by Morbid Angel 17/8 (1984) "Larks' Tongues In Aspic (Part III)" by King Crimson 18/8 (1973) "Birds of Fire" by Mahavishnu Orchestra. Guitar plays 5+5+5+3 while drums play 6+6+6 (2000) "Endless" by Bozzio Levin Stevens 19/16 (1973) "Celestial Terrestrial Commuters" by Mahavishnu Orchestra. (1979) "Keep It Greasy" by Frank Zappa. Played as a measure of 4/4 with three 16ths tacked on the end, or 4+4+4+4+3. (1979) "Hell's Bells" by Bill Bruford Played as 7+7+5. 21/16 (2000) "2116" by Planet X 29/8 (1998) "Universal Mind" by Liquid Tension Experiment 41/16 Desert Sonata by Kyle Gann 65/64 (2002) "A Headache and a Sixty-Fourth" by Ron Jarzombek "Dream" by Mahavishnu Orchestra. Modulates to 15/8 & 15/16 as well "Master of Puppets" by Metallica "Sweat" by Tool "The Day I Tried to Live" by Soundgarden "Make Yourself" by Incubus "Low" by Kelly Clarkson

Mixed Meter
In a chart attributed to Scott Thunes for Zombie Woof from "The Best Band You Never Heard", the structure of the song is: || 12/16 | 5/16 (2x) | 4/8 | 5/4 | 15/16 (4x) | 4/4 (5x) ("Three hundred years ago..." up to "You know I'll never sleep no mo'" | 2/4 | 5/4 | 4/4 (7x) | 5/4 | 5/16 (11X) | 4/4 (12X) | 7/8 | 5/4 | 5/16 (8x) | 7/8 | 2/4 | 4/4 (81X for guitar solo) | 7/8 | 4/4 (3X)) | 7/8 | 4/4 (3X) | 12/16 | 5/16 (2x) | 4/4 || Rush - Cygnus X-1: Intro, 13/8 (6+7). Section at ~8:08 where the band comes in after the interlude, 11/8 (4+4+3). Rush - Limelight: Opens in 4/4, modulates to 7/4 for guitar hook, but goes to 6/4 for verses, then combines sections in 6/4 and 4/4.

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David Kaplowitz's Odd Time Page

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Yes, "Changes" from their 1983 album 90125: Intro thing is in a shifting pattern of || 4/4 | 6/8 | 4/4 | 12/8 ||. It breaks down as 4 quarter notes (4/4), then 2 triplets (6/8) | <--repeat that whole measure, but add two more triplets on the end (12/8) | repeat. You could probably call it one measure of 14/8 and one of 20/8 respectively as well, but I don't think there is much advantage to doing it that way, at least where readability or teaching/communicating with other musicians are concerned. So it's more a matter of preference, I guess.

Other
(1995) "Possum Kingdom" by The Toadies is not really in an odd time, per se. It's 4/4 + 3/4 + 4/4 repeating for most of the first half of the song. (1966) "Son of Suzy Creamcheese" by Frank Zappa. According to Zappa - " It's four bars of 4/4, one bar 8/8, one bar of 9/8--OK? And then it goes 8/8, 9/8, 8/8, 9/8, 8/8, 9/8, then it goes 8/8, 4/8, 5/8, 6/8, and back into 4/4 again." (1989) Fourth movement Allegro from Piano Sonata No. 2 by Nikolai Kapustin is in strictly repeating 4/4, 7/8, 4/4, 5/8 throughout. The earliest known western music was unmeasured (at least in the modern sense). For example the performance of plainsong, many of the masterpieces of which date from the fifth or sixth to the eighth centuries, is inflected both by the meter of the poetry and the articulation of the phrases into neumes, the groups of notes sung to each syllable, and this often results in complex and irregular rhythms. Compositions whose time signature is not constant are often encountered in 20th and 21st century classical music, The Rite of Spring (1913) providing an early example. Shout outs for help with this page since it landed on dkap.info: DT DJ not-I http://dkap.info This page was last updated at 11:31 PM PST on Friday February 24, 2012

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