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A discussion on 5/4 time


JJT
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Except he says it's similar to 3/4, which is lol. And he says to play experimental jazz you just play like a little kid would. Which is also lol.

Can someone actually explain to me how 6/8 and 3/4 are different? I understand how they're different notation-wise, but in execution they feel the same to me.

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Can someone actually explain to me how 6/8 and 3/4 are different? I understand how they're different notation-wise, but in execution they feel the same to me.

6/8 is generally understood to be two beats, each divided into three eighth-notes. 3/4 is three beats, each divided into two eighth-notes. The total number of eighth-notes is the same, but they're grouped differently. 6/8 could be counted like one-and-a two-and-a, whereas 3/4 would be counted like one-and two-and three-and.

It's part of a more general distinction between simple time (each beat is divided in half) and compound time (each beat is divided in thirds).

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6/8 is generally understood to be two beats, each divided into three eighth-notes. 3/4 is three beats, each divided into two eighth-notes. The total number of eighth-notes is the same, but they're grouped differently. 6/8 could be counted like one-and-a two-and-a, whereas 3/4 would be counted like one-and two-and three-and.

It's part of a more general distinction between simple time (each beat is divided in half) and compound time (each beat is divided in thirds).

To be fair, 6/8 is often used in heavily syncopated pieces where the beat division changes. In a lot of latin folk music, you'll get that alternating "1-and-a 2-and-a 1-and 2-and 3-and" feel. "America" from West Side Story is probably the most famous example of this.

So when he says that 6/8 and 3/4 are similar, he's correct. They are similar, in that they each have 6 eighth notes to a measure.

What the fuck time sig is sagat's theme?

Beat division in Sagat's Theme is tricky, but it goes (in sets of eighth notes) 2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-3-2.

You can break it down in to one set of 2-2-2-2, which is just a measure of 4/4, and then two sets of 2-3-2, which is two measures of 7/8 (or one measure of 7/4). That means you could PROBABLY say that Sagat's theme is in 11/4.

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I sent it to one of my old music profs, and this is what he had to say:

"There was some 5/4 timing." Great final statement.

Actually, this is very complex and advanced writing. What you have to do is count to 5 for each measure, and randomly leave out one of the numbers for most of them. That's not the same as 4/4, as you can see demonstrated by his count.

Very complex. Very advanced. That's why it has the appearance of actually being completely wrong.

It's a theory thing.

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I just realized... the Isengard theme in the LOTR trilogy must be 5/4. Seems easy to count too.

1 2 3 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 3 1 4 1 3 2 1 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 4 5 1 2 3 4...

Yes, you're right. Still.. this 5/4 counting is pretty hard for me!

I discovered a trick that works though.. I tap the 1 2 3 4 5 keys on my computer keyboard.

Seems lame, but it really helps! Worked wonders for the Mission impossible theme too.. which i tried to play with a 4/4 synth rhytm before, but could never manage (now i know why).

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I just realized... the Isengard theme in the LOTR trilogy must be 5/4.

Yeah, in one of the 5,000+ interviews on those DVDs I think HoSho mentions that he chose the meter to point up the industrial nature of Isengard. It's been forever, but I think there's a scene in RotK where it seems to be implied that the orcish drummers are pounding out march time in 5/4, and it's hilarious imagining your run of the mill stupid orc trying to keep up, going...

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5

"..., 3, 4, 5

"1, 2, *breathes*

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Yeah, in one of the 5,000+ interviews on those DVDs I think HoSho mentions that he chose the meter to point up the industrial nature of Isengard. It's been forever, but I think there's a scene in RotK where it seems to be implied that the orcish drummers are pounding out march time in 5/4, and it's hilarious imagining your run of the mill stupid orc trying to keep up, going...

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5

"..., 3, 4, 5

"1, 2, *breathes*

Wow.

That is funny.

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