Your Favourite time signature.?

[ras52]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1478195779' post='3167491']
C
[/quote]

How common!

[Wolverinebass]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1478174040' post='3167248']
He said he didn't count anything. You get a rhythmic pattern in your head and follow that.
[/quote]

Pretty much it exactly. I've almost totally stopped writing in 4/4 as I find it limiting. Generally, I'll just play something in free time then figure out what it is later.

In saying that. from experience of what seems to sound good and generally fun, I'd say 11/8, 9/8, 7/4 with my alltime favourite being 19/8. Totally pickles most people.

I guess I've listened to too much progressive metal really.

[MoonBassAlpha]

Always had a lot of time for 7, and 12/8 bowls along nicely.
I love the slow 5/4 figure on bass near the start of Keith Jarrett's Survivor's Suite.

[ivansc]

2/4


EVVVRYBODYYYYYY POLKA!!!!

[zbd1960]

I like Renaissance music, so quite partial to 4/2 and 6/2. If you want a hard time counting, I can recommend trying to sing the opening page of Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, virtually every bar is different before it settles over the page into 7/4...

Edited November 3, 2016 by zbd1960

[Geek99]

There's another signature than 4/4? Wow

[lowlandtrees]

Definitely 6/8. Playing rockabilly at the moment......we play in any key as long as its E and any time as long as its 4
3/4 my least favourite.....or rather the most difficult to put interest into
On the other hand there are a few interesting variations of 4/4 like accenting different beats .....do like a bit of 2/4 swing...
or first bar/second bar accent changes but in general it would be nice to try more time sigs..........s' not gonna happen in RB though....

[Twigman]

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1478121828' post='3166984']
6/8 by far....I naturally seem to count in 3s...
[/quote]

I've changed my mind...a bit
9/8 is the greatest time signature since Claude Debussy's 'Clair de Lune' is the greatest piece of music ever written.
There I've said it.

Edited November 4, 2016 by Twigman

[lowdown]

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1478270098' post='3168075']
I've changed my mind...a bit
9/8 is the greatest time signature since Claude Debussy's 'Clair de Lune' is the greatest piece of music ever written.
There I've said it.
[/quote]

Actually I have changed my mind as well (from 7/8).
I realized I like two time signatures alternating. Specifically 'America' from 'West Side Story' and '633 Squadron'. 6/8+3/4....(Well the main themes).
Two divisions that are very pulsating and driven, yet very natural in feel.
I can't think of any other tunes/pieces/cues with a 6/8+3/4 combination?

Interesting/clever that Ron Goodwin used the Squadron numbers in the time sig.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWXQUhBsUVM[/media]

Some Latin Cross Rhythms in the intro. Terrific writing from the great Bernstein.
West Side Story still blows me away musically.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB4lOWfgD5s[/media]

Edited November 4, 2016 by lowdown

[ras52]

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1478276806' post='3168138']
I can't think of any other tunes/pieces/cues with a 6/8+3/4 combination?
[/quote]

Loads of examples in classical music - search for "hemiola". Wikipedia says "[color=#252525][font=sans-serif]This figure is a common African [/font][/color][url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_pattern"]bell pattern[/url][color=#252525][font=sans-serif], used by the [/font][/color][url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hausa_people"]Hausa people[/url][color=#252525][font=sans-serif] of [/font][/color][url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria"]Nigeria[/url][color=#252525][font=sans-serif], in [/font][/color][url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haitian_Vodou_drumming"]Haitian Vodou drumming[/url][color=#252525][font=sans-serif], Cuban [/font][/color][url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_(religion)"]palo[/url][color=#252525][font=sans-serif], and many other drumming systems. The figure is also used in many sub-varieties of the Flamenco genre ([/font][/color][url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buler%C3%ADas"]bulerías[/url][color=#252525][font=sans-serif], for example), and in various popular Latin American musics."[/font][/color]

[lowdown]

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1478279568' post='3168172']
Loads of examples in classical music - search for "hemiola". Wikipedia says "[color=#252525][font=sans-serif]This figure is a common African [/font][/color][url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_pattern"]bell pattern[/url][color=#252525][font=sans-serif], used by the [/font][/color][url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hausa_people"]Hausa people[/url][color=#252525][font=sans-serif] of [/font][/color][url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria"]Nigeria[/url][color=#252525][font=sans-serif], in [/font][/color][url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haitian_Vodou_drumming"]Haitian Vodou drumming[/url][color=#252525][font=sans-serif], Cuban [/font][/color][url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_(religion)"]palo[/url][color=#252525][font=sans-serif], and many other drumming systems. The figure is also used in many sub-varieties of the Flamenco genre ([/font][/color][url="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buler%C3%ADas"]bulerías[/url][color=#252525][font=sans-serif], for example), and in various popular Latin American musics."[/font][/color]
[/quote]

Yes, I am aware.

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. I meant popular or well known tunes other than my two posts,
that were specifically alternating 6/8 + 3/4 two bar combinations.
There is a 'Ravel' String example, but most write up or theory studies always seem to quote the 'America' and '633 Squadron' themes.
I suppose they are the most popular, or well known tunes outside of Latin music/Flamenco varieties or extreme classical pieces that use that time sig combination.

Edited November 4, 2016 by lowdown

[timhiggins]

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1478193574' post='3167470']
Sounds like alternating 7/8 and 4/4 - or you could call it 15/8.
[/quote] cheers Ras that would explain why the drummer used to say it was 7 and half beats to the bar

[GarethFlatlands]

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1478270098' post='3168075']
Claude Debussy's 'Clair de Lune' is the greatest piece of music ever written.
[/quote]

That one, Chopins 'Raindrop Prelude' and Rachmaninovs Paganini Variation 18 are my top 3 classical pieces. No idea of the time sigs of any of them though.

[Jazzjames]

What gear do you like the most in your car?

I'm just glad we have a choice! They all have their place. Time signatures, that is.

[BrunoBass]

As a bass player in a covers band I've never really thought about what time signature I prefer, I just play whatever sig the song is in.

As a songwriter however, I find there's something about 3/4 which is very inspiring, the way the rhythm flows and rolls lends itself particularly well to strummed open chords when piecing together the framework of a new song. A lot of my songs are in waltz time.

[tinyd]

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1478276806' post='3168138']

I can't think of any other tunes/pieces/cues with a 6/8+3/4 combination?

[/quote]

Not sure if this is quite what you're looking for but some Cuban tunes do a nice job of using both time signatures at once - Afro Blue by Mongo Santamaria is a good example. The conga pattern is 6/8 (or 12/8) but the bass line is 3/4. When you play it, you feel either the "1-2-3" of the bassline or the "one-and-uh, two-and-uh" pulse of the congas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbE7jf_Hp5w

[HMX]

Everything I write seems to be in 6/8, so I'll go for that.

[TrevorR]

I love the lilting swing you can get in a 6/8 song too...

[lowdown]

[quote name='tinyd' timestamp='1478608880' post='3170236']
Not sure if this is quite what you're looking for but some Cuban tunes do a nice job of using both time signatures at once - Afro Blue by Mongo Santamaria is a good example. The conga pattern is 6/8 (or 12/8) but the bass line is 3/4. When you play it, you feel either the "1-2-3" of the bassline or the "one-and-uh, two-and-uh" pulse of the congas.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbE7jf_Hp5w[/media]
[/quote]

Blimey, not heard that for a while. Thanks for posting.

Actually what I mean is a bar of 6/8 alternating with a bar of 3/4.
Like this.

[URL=http://s536.photobucket.com/user/lowdown1957/media/Capture_2.jpg.html][IMG]http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff330/lowdown1957/Capture_2.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Edited November 8, 2016 by lowdown

[silverfoxnik]

[quote name='bluesparky' timestamp='1478182104' post='3167342']
6/8
Love the way it rolls along.
It can be perfect for a ballad or rocking out.
I also love the fact this is a genuine question / thead!
[/quote]

+1

Always loved 6/8

[lowdown]

Seeing as that Christmas period is approaching, I thought I would throw this up onto the stage.
"Sleigh Ride " in 7/8 - It works well and to me, feels very natural.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZggJNsAuIw

[Lord Sausage]

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1481378207' post='3191860']
Seeing as that Christmas period is approaching, I thought I would throw this up onto the stage.
"Sleigh Ride " in 7/8 - It works well and to me, feels very natural.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZggJNsAuIw
[/quote]
That is very cool!

[Lord Sausage]

I've played with a few drummers who's favourite time is either 3.9/4 or 4.1/4!

[Rich]

I've always been partial to 12/8. It's a bouncy happy signature. ☺

[bassace]

4/4 of course. Plus whatever else comes along. To say you have a favourite, or prefer anything, above 4/4 is just plain pretentious.