Guru,
While I respect your opinions, as an educator for the last 20+ years, it's been my experience that when someone is exposed to something like odd time signatures sooner in their playing life, they tend to learn it quicker than if they happen upon it someday, when they think they're more ready. This happened to me, and I always like to try and pass it on!
Anyone who has entered this contest so far, has had enough courage to get in there, and come up with a solo to a backing track not of their own creation. Why would this be any diffferent? It just the count is a little different! lol
OK, if I do this, maybe it helps to give those who may feel inexperienced, a little primer on odd time signatures.
The ones we're looking to do are: 5/4 and 7/4.
If you think of 5/4 as a combination of two simple time signatures( 2/4=duple meter, 3/4=triple meter), you would come up with two perspectives: It's either a bar of 2/4 and a bar of 3/4, combined, or vice versa. This is called a complex meter, kids,but no to woory, it's not too complex at all!
You might also take the parallel route, and count 1,2,3,4,5, and treat it in a linear fashion, maybe accenting 1, or maybe 5, or maybe accenting everything but 1 or 5; a multitude of combinations is out there!
If you think of 7/4 as a combination of 3/4 and 4/4, or 4/4 and 3/4, basically a combo of triple and quadruple meters, there again, you'll find it easier to count through, and understand.
Again, you can also take the parallel route, and count 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, treat it in a linear fashion( no accents), or accent 1, or 7, or again, everything but 1 or 7.
I'm having a hard time thinking off the top of my head of a direct song reference that's metal for 5/4; I know it's at the top of my head, but anyone else out there want to throw a few suggestions around, please do!
My two references will be: Take Five, by Dave Brubeck, and the middle section of La Villa Strangiato, by Rush. The bridge section, right before the re-introduction. It's a bar of 6, followed by a bar of 5, if I remember right.
Come on, somebody's got a MESSUGAH reference they can give, right? Tool? Two bands I know frequently use odd time sigs in their songs...
7/4, probably the best known example known to man is Pink Floyd's Money!
One of their biggest hits, and a song solidly in 7/4 the whole way. Count it, you'll see. Even better, play it. There's a ton of tab for it somewhere, right?
And don't forget to take a listen to David Gilmour's solo!
( And I'm gathering everyone has "ways" of obtaining said songs somewhere)
I know, I know, these are "old school" song references, but hey, you learn from the past that came before, right?
Hope that helps, even a little!
As soon as I get the next backing track entries from both Moonlapse and bibz, I will post the announcement of the next contest!
Bibz, sounds like you got one done man! Good! Send it on, and I'll check it out. The start of this next contest could be a while, as Moonlapse says he is putting a new recording system together, and could not give me a time frame of when he would be set up, so I'm waiting to hear back from him when he's got this done.And I want to give him a fair chance to submit his entry! Hang tight people, we'll get started soon enough.
