Difficult Drum Beat

[Angermeyer]

I'm writing a song in 9/8 time and I cannot figure out a decnt drumbeat to go with it. Antbody have an idea?
Angermeyer

 

[mikemoritz]

why in 9/8? did you write it that way on purpose to try and be different? If so, well, write in it 8/8. Writing in different times on purpose is something I never dug. If you wound up writing it and it turned into 9/8, well then, that's a different story. You might wanna try listening to different "tempo/timing" songs. It might give you a good idea of where to go with the drum beat. My favorite "timing" song is the "nanook suite" off Zappa's "Apostrophe' ". Although, listening to any zappa post 1968 might give you a good idea. Anyways, that's my advice. My .02 cents if you will.

Peace out,
Mike

 

[dr.colossus]

excellent! i am sick of 4/4 and the like!!! heard of the dave bruebeck quartet? two albums to note, "time out" and "time further out"....off hand the only track i can think of in 9/8 is "blue shadow in the street" from time further out.....joe morello is awesome in strange time signatures.....the other thing you could do is a division of signatures, like matt cameron from soundgarden did when they covered into the void...ie; split the signature (into the void is 7/4, and matt plays a distinctive 3/4, 4/4 split)...........perhaps a 5/4-4/4 split would do the trick?...my old band used to mess with signatures alot, i used to just catch the riff, or the accents of the chords, keep the hats going and then make sure there wasw either a snare or a bass drum meeting the accents......another way to do it, is fake it (kinda) when a signature completely had me lost, i would tell the guitarist to keep playing no matter what i did, so say for instance this particular song called for a swinging 5/4 (i hate playing 5/4) what i would do is play a shuffly 4/4 beat at the same bpm and every five or six bars we would hit the same accents.....if you can pull this off its is more enjoyable than playing the correct signature, i beleive this is known as a polyryhtm, and some pianists do it by playing thier left hand at one sig. and their right at another... i think bill bruford is an excellent player of polyrythms, but i dare say he planned his, and didn't use them as cop outs......

now i must not my old band was an instrumental jazz/prog rock band so being instrumental, we had plenty of room to move arouund and cut bits out live if they weren't working, but if this song is structured and set in stone, you may have a little trouble working out verse length if you go the polyrythm option.....

by now i am sure your eyes are tired, so i will let you get to it, the options for time signatures is virtually endless, its just that music society is stuck wtih 4/4 because there are alot of lazy musicians, especially drummers out there (not all, but most)

 

[Angermeyer]

why in 9/8? did you write it that way on purpose to try and be different?
Peace out,
Mike

Thanks for the input. And as for the quote, no i didn't try for it. I just stumbled accros and interesting rythym, but i do know how you feel. I hate music based on a gimick also, kind of cheap.

I like the idea of matching the accents and keeping a cymbol sound. I'm going to put in a violin in the backgroaund with long notes in the chord or mabye a tad desifinado

dr.colossus,
Sorry to hear that about 5/4. I love beatin out "take five".
-Angermeyer

 

[dr.colossus]

dr.colossus,
Sorry to hear that about 5/4. I love beatin out "take five".
-Angermeyer

hehehe.. i only hate it because it's too damn hard sometimes!!!take five is an awesome tune i love hearing songs in 5/4 just can't play em

 

[mikeh]

I work with a jazz/fusion band doing a lot of odd time's (we do it for the challange - after awhile you can do 4/4 in your sleep) we do 5/4, 7/4, 7/8, 9/8, 11/8, - we're currently learning Mahavishnu's Birds Of Fire (18/8 time - there is no way to count that you just have to "feel it").

Given the amount of odd time I've played to - I don't think there is a "right drum beat" - it all depends on the feel the melodic instruments have defined. But it is very common to sub-divide the beats in to smaller rhythmic groupings (7/4 = 4/4 + 3/4) mainly because the song requires it, but also to help with counting. Often with odd times, the percussion has to be equal parts, rhythmic and melodic.

Listen to some recordings that feature odd times, Dave Bruebeck (Joe Morello), Zappa (various drummers), Mahavishnu/John McGlochlin (Cobham). This may give you ideas

 

[dr.colossus]

after awhile you can do 4/4 in your sleep) we do 5/4, 7/4, 7/8, 9/8, 11/8, - we're currently learning Mahavishnu's Birds Of Fire (18/8 time - there is no way to count that you just have to "feel it").

- it all depends on the feel the melodic instruments have defined.

absolutely could not agree more!!!!!

 

[gnarled]

Given the amount of odd time I've played to - I don't think there is a "right drum beat" - it all depends on the feel the melodic instruments have defined. But it is very common to sub-divide the beats in to smaller rhythmic groupings (7/4 = 4/4 + 3/4) mainly because the song requires it, but also to help with counting. Often with odd times, the percussion has to be equal parts, rhythmic and melodic.

I couldn't agree more. I do a lot of odd meters with rock stuff and I often divide up the riff into smaller parts in my head like you mentioned. But, I've found that if you practice a lot in odd times and know the melody really well, the beats just come. By the way, I think playing in 7 is an easier place to start than 9. At least it feels more natural to me.

 

[ron3113]

yea, cutting it up is the place to start, until it feels natural. 5+4 is good, but don't forget the simple 3+3+3 =)