Timing mess: help!

[question444]

I know a bit about timing and notation and I can play drums...but I sing for our group and one day I was so perplexed at this song we were trying to play. It is by "The Mars Volta". I finally learned how to play it, but then I messed with it for about an hour trying to figure out any time signature that would work. I was perplexed. A little help guys? Here's the phrase in "ticks". (hi-hat on top, snare in middle, bass on bottom)

l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l
l l l l l l
l l l l

(30 taps on the hi-hat and the phrase repeats)

[question444]

that did not work, it shoved all the marks together

[question444]

try this attachment

[question444]

or, here we go.

[mcolling]

maybe its a really wacky 6/4 groove with 5 bar phrases. or maybe its just in 30/4.

[drummerdude666]

i like mars volta. what song is it and i'll listen to it tonight and have an anwser for you tomorrow.

[question444]

It's called "drunk ship" I'm pretty sure,,,I'm not really into them, I prefer NORMAL time and sweet melody. I think that part is only played live...not on an album but I could be wrong. If I can, I'll put a clip on here some time so you guys can hear. Thanks. -Perry

[Wish14]

Edit...first comment was for another thread...I screwed up!!!

But, yeah...that's a pretty fucked up beat...I would need to hear the music to really get a feel for how to play that...

Wish

[Wish14]

The song can be found here...

http://pitchpipe.icehouse.net/music/...20Lanterns.mp3

And it's called the "Drunkship of Lanterns."

It's waaaaaaaaay too fast for me...

Good luck!!! I will be no help to you.

Wish

[question444]

The beat that I am talking about isn't played on this recording...it's not on the album.. they do it as an introduction before the song when they play it live. The rest of the song can actually be comprehended I will get a clip and post it. Thanks. -Perry

[Commander]

It's in 4/4.
Section towards the end is free form.
Then back to 4/4.

[question444]

are you talking about the link that wish14 sent or the tab that I made? by the way the file format kep messing up the snare line so here it is again....

[Commander]

Originally Posted by question444

are you talking about the link that wish14 sent or the tab that I made?

I was talking about the MP3 that was posted. Will check out the tab.

[Commander]

Sorry - can't make head or tail of your tab!

[question444]

Looks like 7/4 will work. I made a mistake everyone and I'm sorry! There are 28 hi-hat ticks not 30! So 1 bar, of 7 beats, with 4 sixteenths of hi-hat per beat. Thanks!

[Commander]

Originally Posted by question444

Looks like 7/4 will work. I made a mistake everyone and I'm sorry! There are 28 hi-hat ticks not 30! So 1 bar, of 7 beats, with 4 sixteenths of hi-hat per beat. Thanks!

But the MP3 is in 4/4 ...

[question444]

I should have never mentioned the name "drunkship". The piece of music I'm talking about is only played live as an intro before that song. However that same "7/4" music appears on their new album and the song is called "cygnus...vismund cygnus". -P

[question444]

but sorry, you are right, that mp3 is 4/4. Thanks. -P