WOODWINDS Dr . Daniel Schnee is an ethnomusicologist and multi-instrumentalist who has performed worldwide with
over 20 different JUNO and Grammy Award-winning musicians . He has also been internationally recognized as a graphic score composer , and is a former student of both Ornette Coleman and legendary Japanese
GUTAI artist Shozo Shimamoto .
By Dan Schnee
An Intro to Odd Time Signatures
There has been so much technological and musical advancement in the last 20 years , it is almost dizzying . But even with such change there is still not as much discussion in woodwind circles about the study and analysis of odd time signatures as I feel there should be , so I thought I would discuss them with you here .
“ Odd ” time signatures are any that are divided into non-even numbers : 3 , 5 , 7 , and so on . Also , it is almost always the case you will eventually encounter , or be required to play in , time signatures such as 5 / 4 , 9 / 8 , or 7 / 16 . What makes them feel “ unusual ” at first is that , since most Western music ( jazz , rock , classical , etc .) is in 4 / 4 or 2 / 4 , a time signature like 7 / 4 feels “ uneven ,” or often hard to keep track of . But there are three basic approaches that will help you understand and feel comfortable with odd time signatures .
Experiment First , one must get used to note groupings less common in 4 / 4 . We get so comfortable playing even eighth or sixteenth note groupings of four ( in bebop , for example ) that playing odd groupings feels strange ; thus , first learning to accent groups of five and seven in 4 / 4 is an excellent way of getting the feel of odd numbers in a comfortable setting . A relatively easy way to do this is through scale practice . Using the C major scale in 4 / 4 , for example , play the scale very slowly in sixteenth notes , accenting the first of every three notes in sequence – C d e F g a B c d E f g A and so on . Doing this makes it sound like we are playing triplets over 4 / 4 , like we are playing in 12 / 8 simultaneously . This effect is a cross-rhythm ( often mistakenly called a polyrhythm ) that plays against the main pulse .
Once you are comfortable with accent triplets , then accent in groups of five : C d e f g A , and so on . Another fun way is to accent notes in groups of two and three : C d E f g A b C d e , etc . What this does is introduce the feeling of playing in odd time signatures without counting in your head , which you want to avoid . This preliminary exercise also moves you out of old habits and clichéd ( comfortable ) patterns . Another really effective method is studying / adapting the first 10 pages of George Lawrence Stone ’ s book Accents & Rebounds for the Snare Drummer to your scale studies . It will simultaneously strengthen both your motor and intellectual skills .
Listen Second , one must actually listen to odd time music in order to get used to hearing its ebb and flow . A classic example of simple yet brilliant usage of 7 and 5 are the songs on Dave Brubeck ’ s albums Time Out and Time Further Out , including the wonderful “ Unsquare Dance .” Many Sting songs are also excellent examples of using odd time signatures very musically , and not just for show . “ Seven Days ,” for example , is an excellent , minimalistic use of 5 / 4 , while “ Straight to My Heart ” is an excellent example of creating a catchy riff in 7 / 4 . It is important to start with music that is easy to analyze , as many groups often play with such complexity ( e . g . Animals As Leaders , Frank Zappa , or King Crimson ) that it is difficult to follow and analyze by ear .
So I suggest listening to as many examples as you can in order to find what you are initially comfortable with , and progress from there . Then , when you have found a few songs you like , memorize the main theme or pattern as a kind of mental guide . For example , the main guitar riff from Rush ’ s live version of “ La Villa Strangiato ” ( starting just after 5:30 ) from the album Exit Stage Left is such a fantastic riff that for years I used it as a mental rhythmic guide if I had to improvise in 7 / 4 .
Analyze Lastly , when you have begun analyzing odd time , you will notice that many parts feel “ lop-sided ,” like they kind of limp along . This back and forth quality may feel strange at first , but it is a quality that other cultures enjoy . In Turkish folk music , for example , these rhythms are known as aqsaq (“ stumbling ”) rhythms . What is important to note about such rhythms is that they are divided into groupings of two or three counts in a ( repeating ) chain , e . g . 3 + 2 + 3 + 3 = 11 / 8 . This stumbling or wobbling quality of threes and twos gives the music a pleasurable bounce , often figuratively compared to a young woman carrying sloshing pails of river water back to her village . Knowing this , you can begin to create your own odd time songs and riffs , using groupings of three and two that you feel comfortable with , as composing is often the most effective musical education . There are six basic combinations of two and three you can begin to play with : 232 ( i . e . 2 + 3 + 2 ), 223 , 332 , 323 , 322 , and 233 , before creating longer chains of 19 / 16 or 21 / 8 .
For more on odd time studies , see my previous articles on aqsaq rhythms or South Indian solkattu , or read Trichy Sankaran ’ s fantastic book The Art of Konnakkol .
Good Luck !
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