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Best pop/rock/rap song not in 4/4 (1 Viewer)

"The Ocean" (7/8 and 12/8), "Four Sticks" (5/8 and 6/8) and "Misty Mountain Hop" (5/4 and 4/4).

"The Crunge" has at least 5 time signatures. "Black Dog" doesn't have that many but it shifts between different signatures a total of 98 times.

 
Possum Kingdom by the Toadies is in 7/4 and it's a great tune.

Lots of progressive rock is in odd time signatures. Yes, ELP, King Crimson, Porcupine Tree, stuff like that. Prog rockers are always trying out weird time signatures.

 
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Limp Ditka said:
Dan Lambskin said:
worrierking said:
Possum Kingdom by the Toadies is in 7/4 and it's a great tune.

Lots of progressive rock is in odd time signatures. Yes, ELP, King Crimson, Porcupine Tree, stuff like that. Prog rockers are always trying out weird time signatures.
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Lateralus by Tool incorporates several signatures and contains a fibonicci sequence
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Arguably the most brilliantly composed song in the history of rock

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Have no idea how they ever pulled this off.

 
Blackened by Metallica:

"Blackened" has perhaps the most changing time signatures of any Metallica song. The intro is in 4/4, then 3/4, 4/4 again, and then followed by a 5/4 measure, leading into the 7/4 riff. Then, the verse is in 6/4, going into the 7/4 riff again, then a 2/4 measure leading into the chorus, which is in 4/4. The 7/4 riff kicks in again, then the 6/4 verse, another 7/4 riff, and another 2/4 measure leading into the 2nd 4/4 chorus. Then the slow bridge starts with a 7/4 measure, then 4/4 for the rest until the dual-guitar build-up section, in which every other measure is 4/4, and the other measures alternate 2/4 and 3/4, in that order, but starting with a 4/4 measure. Some find it easier to alternate counting 6/4 and 7/4 measures, or even counting one pattern as a whole: a 13/4 measure repeating over and over until the slow solo, which is entirely in 4/4. Then there is a short 4/4 break, ending with a 2/4 measure that leads into the fast solo, which is entirely 4/4 except one measure before the last part of the solo that's in 5/8. Then the riff starts again, in 7/4. Then one final verse in 6/4, then a 2/4 measure leading into the final chorus, which is in 4/4. The last chorus repeats itself, with different words. This repeat is tied to the previous chorus by a 5/4 measure. Finally, the outro is in 7/4. It is somewhat difficult for inexperienced musicians to count the beat properly during the riff, because of the odd time signature and the accented notes for the melody, as well as the snare, are played on the up-beat.
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Tick said:
Blackened by Metallica:

"Blackened" has perhaps the most changing time signatures of any Metallica song. The intro is in 4/4, then 3/4, 4/4 again, and then followed by a 5/4 measure, leading into the 7/4 riff. Then, the verse is in 6/4, going into the 7/4 riff again, then a 2/4 measure leading into the chorus, which is in 4/4. The 7/4 riff kicks in again, then the 6/4 verse, another 7/4 riff, and another 2/4 measure leading into the 2nd 4/4 chorus. Then the slow bridge starts with a 7/4 measure, then 4/4 for the rest until the dual-guitar build-up section, in which every other measure is 4/4, and the other measures alternate 2/4 and 3/4, in that order, but starting with a 4/4 measure. Some find it easier to alternate counting 6/4 and 7/4 measures, or even counting one pattern as a whole: a 13/4 measure repeating over and over until the slow solo, which is entirely in 4/4. Then there is a short 4/4 break, ending with a 2/4 measure that leads into the fast solo, which is entirely 4/4 except one measure before the last part of the solo that's in 5/8. Then the riff starts again, in 7/4. Then one final verse in 6/4, then a 2/4 measure leading into the final chorus, which is in 4/4. The last chorus repeats itself, with different words. This repeat is tied to the previous chorus by a 5/4 measure. Finally, the outro is in 7/4. It is somewhat difficult for inexperienced musicians to count the beat properly during the riff, because of the odd time signature and the accented notes for the melody, as well as the snare, are played on the up-beat.
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Never out enough thought into it but always knew that song had a few weird time changes. Good submission

 
Zombies' "Remember You" is in waltz time, I think.

Lots of Weezer songs in 3/4, also. Suzanne, Holiday, etc.

My Name Is Jonas is in 6/8. I'd go with that.

 
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Tick said:
Blackened by Metallica:

"Blackened" has perhaps the most changing time signatures of any Metallica song. The intro is in 4/4, then 3/4, 4/4 again, and then followed by a 5/4 measure, leading into the 7/4 riff. Then, the verse is in 6/4, going into the 7/4 riff again, then a 2/4 measure leading into the chorus, which is in 4/4. The 7/4 riff kicks in again, then the 6/4 verse, another 7/4 riff, and another 2/4 measure leading into the 2nd 4/4 chorus. Then the slow bridge starts with a 7/4 measure, then 4/4 for the rest until the dual-guitar build-up section, in which every other measure is 4/4, and the other measures alternate 2/4 and 3/4, in that order, but starting with a 4/4 measure. Some find it easier to alternate counting 6/4 and 7/4 measures, or even counting one pattern as a whole: a 13/4 measure repeating over and over until the slow solo, which is entirely in 4/4. Then there is a short 4/4 break, ending with a 2/4 measure that leads into the fast solo, which is entirely 4/4 except one measure before the last part of the solo that's in 5/8. Then the riff starts again, in 7/4. Then one final verse in 6/4, then a 2/4 measure leading into the final chorus, which is in 4/4. The last chorus repeats itself, with different words. This repeat is tied to the previous chorus by a 5/4 measure. Finally, the outro is in 7/4. It is somewhat difficult for inexperienced musicians to count the beat properly during the riff, because of the odd time signature and the accented notes for the melody, as well as the snare, are played on the up-beat.
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That's the first song I think of with rock songs in odd time signatures.
 
sbonomo said:
Will someone explain this to a complete lamen with zero rhythm.
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A "time signature" has two numbers -- the top number and the bottom number.

The top number represents the number of "beats" that are to be repeated in each line of a song. In the vast majority of rock and roll songs, this number is "4". Tap your foot along with most rock songs and you'll notice that you'll tap 4 times for each line.

The bottom number represents the length of each beat. The longest beat would be "1" (this is called a "whole note"). Then there is a "half note" (2), then a "quarter note" (4), then eighth notes (8), etc.

If each line had 4 whole notes, then the time signature would be "4/1". If each line had 6 eighth notes, then the time signature would be "6/8".

But in the vast majority of rock and roll, the "quarter note" (4) is the most popular choice.

Therefore, a song with a "4/4" time signature would feature 4 quarter notes per line.

On the other hand, a song like Billy Joel's

features a "3/4" time signature. (3 quarter notes per line).
 
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Mr. Retukes said:
sbonomo said:
Will someone explain this to a complete lamen with zero rhythm.
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A "time signature" has two numbers -- the top number and the bottom number.

The top number represents the number of "beats" that are to be repeated in each line of a song. In the vast majority of rock and roll songs, this number is "4". Tap your foot along with most rock songs and you'll notice that you'll tap 4 times for each line.

The bottom number represents the length of each beat. The longest beat would be "1" (this is called a "whole note"). Then there is a "half note" (2), then a "quarter note" (4), then eighth notes (8), etc.

If each line had 4 whole notes, then the time signature would be "4/1". If each line had 6 eighth notes, then the time signature would be "6/8".

But in the vast majority of rock and roll, the "quarter note" (4) is the most popular choice.

Therefore, a song with a "4/4" time signature would feature 4 quarter notes per line.

On the other hand, a song like Billy Joel's

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thank you.......
 
joey said:
Long Ball Larry said:
Everybody Wants to Rule the World.
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See, I would call this song 4/4 with a triple feel on the hi hat. Is it technically 3/4.

When I've played it on drums, I count it (1 trip let, 2 trip let, 3 trip let, 4 trip let).

Yes/no?
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Generally if the 3 notes are "felt" as a single beat (as they are here), it's considered 6/8 or 12/8 depending on how many "beats" you put in each measure.

 
wdcrob said:
Is the length of the note subjective? or is there a standard measure of, say, a quarter note?
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It's really up to the composer and how they want to write the music. A quarter note at 60 beats/minute is twice as long as one at 120 beats/minute. It's also the same length as a half note at 120 bpm.

I'm sure there's some rule of thumb in music theory as to what your basic unit should be for a particular situation, based on what the underlying "feel" of the music should be. In general, each "beat" (when you would tap your foot to go along) is usually a quarter note, but there are reasons that you might write it differently.

 
heckmanm said:
joey said:
Long Ball Larry said:
Everybody Wants to Rule the World.
Click to expand...
See, I would call this song 4/4 with a triple feel on the hi hat. Is it technically 3/4.

When I've played it on drums, I count it (1 trip let, 2 trip let, 3 trip let, 4 trip let).

Yes/no?
Click to expand...
Generally if the 3 notes are "felt" as a single beat (as they are here), it's considered 6/8 or 12/8 depending on how many "beats" you put in each measure.
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they were on the comedy bang bang podcast a couple months ago with reggie watts and he said that it was 6/4 and they seemed to go along with that.

 
Long Ball Larry said:
heckmanm said:
joey said:
Long Ball Larry said:
Everybody Wants to Rule the World.
Click to expand...
See, I would call this song 4/4 with a triple feel on the hi hat. Is it technically 3/4.

When I've played it on drums, I count it (1 trip let, 2 trip let, 3 trip let, 4 trip let).

Yes/no?
Click to expand...
Generally if the 3 notes are "felt" as a single beat (as they are here), it's considered 6/8 or 12/8 depending on how many "beats" you put in each measure.
Click to expand...
they were on the comedy bang bang podcast a couple months ago with reggie watts and he said that it was 6/4 and they seemed to go along with that.
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Interesting. Fwiw, this drum chart says 4/4:

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/everybody-wants-to-rule-the-world-drums-digital-sheet-music/19896403

Either way, a great song on a GREAT album.

Many power ballad hits are in 3/4 or 6/8 time, like Journey's "Open Arms", "Lights" and "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'".

Steve Smith could lay down that thickest 3/4 beat and the most thunderous drum fills of any power ballad drummer.

 
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