Anything else besides 4/4 beat?

  • Thread starter Thread starter A1A2
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"Forget About Dre" and any other song Dre has released commercially has soley been written in 4/4 time signature. It may be throwing you off because the track has a triplet feel to it, meaning that each beat is divided into 3 or 6 instead of the more common 2 or 4 parts. A 1/8 note triplet meaure would be counted; 1 na ne, 2 na ne, 3 na ne, 4 na ne. Whereas a standard 1/8 note meaure would be counted; 1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and.

Weltyone, what is the name of an Aceyalone song that is written in 6/8? That's gotta be real interesting. Also, do you know what album is it on? I'd love to hear it.

Stray

www.mp3.com/PerpetualProductio
 
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I've heard 6/8 hip hop beats, kinda hard to rhyme to though, gives you less time to diversify your style as you rhyme, but it's a challenge.

I think Outkast and the Roots have done one beat each that wasn't strictly 4/4
 
Thanks, All

I got pen and paper ready to write down the name of songs whenever you find out what they are called. Appreciated!

AL
 
MM&H, I've heard all of Outkast's albums and most of the Roots, but cannot recall anything written in anything but 4/4. I think it's possible that the Roots may have something in a different time signature just because their music is so deeply rooted in jazz. If you know the names of the songs though please let us know.

Stray

www.mp3.com/PerpetualProductio
 
I've produced some stuff for some cats overseas in different time signatures. Sounds cool, but like someone already mentioned, it's hell on the djs - even me, and I made the tracks...

I had to build in provisions (switch to 4/4 time) so cats could comfortably get in and out of the record, but the meat and potatoes of the songs weren't in 4/4.

I'll dig up a cd and email snippets of the songs to anyone who cares to hear 'em. Just PM me with your email address... It seemed to me that the guys I did the tracks for had a pretty easy time of spitting on them due to the syntax of the language they rhymed in (German). Maybe they just had a better feel for different time signatures, I dunno.

Flo' Dolo
 
Of course, the remixes were all in 4/4 time. The radio & video versions were original, the mix shows and clubs spun the remix...

F.D.
 
Flo, I'll PM you with an e-mail add. How did you do a remix to a 5/4 song? It seems that would be a bit difficult in the there is an extra quarter note in 5/4. How could a 4/4 groove replace a 5/4 groove?

I'm interested in how you could do that. When you send me the track can I get some samples of the remixes as well?

Stray
 
OK

I found one, it's from The roots, "Illadelph halflife" album. Track 17 or 50 as it's listed on the album, "Ital the Universal Side"
Q tip is on the song. I may be wrong, cause I'm not that good at that half measure stuff anyway, but there's a definite difference in the last measures before the bieat comes back around.

The Outkast on I haven't been able to find that one for over a year now, it's the Atliens album. Y'all gon have to help me out, I gan give some thing I remember about the song and someone might be able to pick it out. It's one of the last songs, a woman was singing the hook, had something to do with rain or teardrops and memories of yesterday she was singing about. It had some of goodie mob rhyming on it too, anybody remember?
 
Aceyalone

I thought it was 6/8 .... but it can be counted out in 4's.

"Greatest Show On Earth " off of All Balls Don't Bounce LP...
Uses triplets ...

Ace and The Freestyle Fellowship have prolly experimented with 3/4 - 6/8 ...

Blackolicious' "Swan Lake " has a 3/4 measure within its
4/4 patterns.


Do you need a 7/8 or 9/8 beat ???
 
weltyone:

Thanks for the info. I will definitely check them out. Yeah, some 7/8 or anything besides 4/4 would be cool if you dont mind naming them.

AL
 
Come to think of it, I have made beats in the past that didn't finish the last four counts, but instead maybe 4, then 2, then back to 4, does that count? did I confuse you?
 
Yo Stray411,

I'll get some snippets of both versions to you. Then if you wanna, we can discuss how they were done. No biggie, just had to wrinkle me brain a bit. The other cats are right, too. There are definately a few recent and really good examples of hip-hoppers experimenting with different time signatures...

F.D.
 
Thanks for creating this thread, I'm inspired to go back and write to that beat my sister made. It'll be a stretch but I'mma try it with a 6/8 beat too, I've always wanted to, but thought it was too damn hard. :) I probably need a good challenge anyway.
 
Flo Dolo,

Excellent, I'll send you a PM with an e-mail add. I'm interested here not to find out how it's done, but to hear the results. I've never a heard a hip-hop song outside of 4/4 so I'd like to see what others have done.

Currently my partner and I are working on a 5/4 beat that will be real interesting. The way you have to flow to 5/4 is kind of crazy because you're cadence has to be completely different. This is why I was asking how you were able to do a 4/4 remix of a song that was originally in 5/4.

I've did a 3/4 beat about 5 years ago that was made completely on the Boss DR-5 rhythm section ($400 drum machine) that I was going to upload for you guys to check out, but I think I'll just upload the 5/4 track when it's done instead.

MM&H, I found this thread inspiring as well. It's great when producers can feed off each other like this, it's the reason I spend time here, so I can get better and so I can help others get better.

Stray
 
I may have one. How about # 10 on Outkast's ATLiens album its called Mainstream. Holla
 
Yeah, yeah, that's the one I was talking about!! I lost the CD so I couldn't remember the track # or the name of the song. I was really feelin that, I gotta get that album again.
 
Here is a graphical representation of 5/4 as opposed to 4/4.

Stray
 

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I'll explain what the jpeg shows.

The top phrase shows 1 bar of 4/4. The x's represent the hi-hat and the notes right under it represent the snare drum. These 2 instruments are playing 1/16th notes. Notice in the 4/4 phrase there are (16) 16th notes or 4 for every beat. 4x4 = 16. The lowest note on the staff represents the kick drum which is playing 1/4 notes on beats 1 and 3.

The bottom phrase shows 1 bar of 5/4. The x's are again representing the hi-hat but notice this time instead of (16) 1/16th notes there are (20) or 4 for every beat. 5x4 = 20. The middle line is representing the snare which is playing 1/4 notes on 2, 4 and 5. The lowest line represets the kick again which is playing quarter notes on 1 and 3.

I hope seeing 5/4 in contrast to 4/4 helps out, I know I like to be able to see graphically what people are talking about. Let me know if there are any other questions.

Stray
 
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