Music with Shifting Time Signatures [Archive]

therealting

10-13-2009, 07:22 AM

One of my students is looking for a piece of music to choreograph to. She is interested in using a piece of music where the count changes throughout the piece.

I've been trying hard to think of some good examples - it was decided that Dream Theater is a little too heavy! I'm certain that there will be some members here who have some good ideas, so I thought I'd put this out there and see what comes back.

Thanks in advance!

James M

10-13-2009, 07:29 AM

Pink Floyd "Money"...goes from 7/8 to 4/4 at the guitar solo. Pink Floyd "Mother"...goes from 4/4 (I think) to 3/4 at the chorus.

travisvwright

10-13-2009, 07:32 AM

Most everything I play. Just not intentionally.

jtm622

10-13-2009, 08:06 AM

Not rock music, but Dave Brubeck's album "Time Out" features "Blue Rondo a la Turk" - which goes from 9/8 to 4/4 then back to 9/8, etc.

zep41

10-13-2009, 08:21 AM

how bout pretty much anything by Gabriel-era Genesis?

xroads

10-13-2009, 08:35 AM

Not rock music, but Dave Brubeck's album "Time Out" features "Blue Rondo a la Turk" - which goes from 9/8 to 4/4 then back to 9/8, etc.

The 4/4 part is laid back and relaxing, while the 9/8 part has a lot of movement and tension. Great use of timing and rhythm.

taco-man

10-13-2009, 09:47 AM

All you need is love
Lucy in the sky with diamonds
Tom Sawyer
Freewill

Bobbyoso

10-13-2009, 09:51 AM

A few of the middle sections of the "Rite of Spring"--check it out, time sigs change every few bars.

ShavenYak

10-13-2009, 09:52 AM

Pink Floyd "Mother"...goes from 4/4 (I think) to 3/4 at the chorus.

Actually I think the verse does lots of shifting around. The parts between the vocal lines are 3/4. The vocals themselves are on top of 3/4, 4/4, and even 5/4 measures at various times. But you don't really "feel" the time changes in it because there's so little percussion going on. That, and "do you think they'll try to break my balls" might not be acceptable lyrics for the circumstances.

I'd look for something by Rush.

landorff

10-13-2009, 10:24 AM

I wonder how Gun from Soundgarden would look choreographed

Calaban

10-13-2009, 10:44 AM

You Enjoy Myself - Phish

smallbutmighty

10-13-2009, 10:53 AM

Love is Stronger than Justice - Sting
Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds - Beatles

hk45acp

10-13-2009, 11:07 AM

U2 Where the streets have no name
starts in 6/8 into 4/4

therealting

10-13-2009, 02:04 PM

These are great suggestions! Thanks!

I should probably have mentioned that the preference is for music without words - either without singing, or without distinguishable lyrics. If anyone could suggest these as well, that would rock.

Having said that, I am liking all the other suggestions and I have put them on a Spotify playlist...

chrisle

10-13-2009, 02:12 PM

how bout pretty much anything by Gabriel-era Genesis?

Not Gabriel era Genesis but "Dance on a Volcano (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50CKhBaCHTQ)" would be fun.

SGNick

10-13-2009, 02:16 PM

Happiness is a Warm Gun!

Stratobuc

10-13-2009, 02:44 PM

King Crimson - Red

Lance

10-13-2009, 02:48 PM

Footprints by Wayne Shorter also does the 7/8, 4/4 shift.

Elmer's Revenge by the Steve Kimock Band, off of Eudemonic.
Long Form Part I has some really nice time shifts too.

The Eleven Jam by the Grateful Dead. One drummer, one guitar player, and bass playing in 11/12, and one drummer, one guitar player, and keys playing in 12/11. When they all meet up at the end of the double cycle, neat stuff can happen.

Guitar55

10-13-2009, 07:55 PM

Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel switches between 7/4 and 4/4.

CharAznable

10-13-2009, 08:04 PM

80's King Crimson.

Kudos to anyone who can dance to "Discipline". It's simultaneously in 7 and 9 or something ridiculous like that.

SGNick

10-13-2009, 08:42 PM

Wait Wait Wait... I think we're skipping the obvious choice here...

Kashmir anyone?

3/4 on 4/4 is fun!

The Last Rebel

10-13-2009, 08:49 PM

Try Schism by Tool, that song has something in the nieghborhood of 47 meter shifts with everything from 5/8 to 7/8 to 13/8 to 10/8 to 6/4 to 11/8 to 9/8.

Beng2040

10-14-2009, 05:45 AM

My vote goes to I Want You (She's So Heavy) by the Beatles. I think this song is perfect to choreograph to. 3/4 and 4/4 and a great vibe to this song.

rmj254

10-14-2009, 06:25 AM

My Wave, Spoonman -- Soundgarden
YYZ -- Rush
I'm Tweeked -- Karizma
Hell's Bells -- Bruford
Blood and Thunder -- Mastodon
Frame by Frame -- King Crimson

Spudman

10-14-2009, 07:50 AM

Almost every song on a Flower Kings album changes time. Karmakanic have quite a few songs that do as well.

djem

10-14-2009, 08:04 AM

Here's an instrumental for you to consider:

Odyssee by the Dixie Dregs.

This is from their 'What If?" Album.

Great tune.

StompBoxBlues

10-14-2009, 08:21 AM

Footprints by Wayne Shorter also does the 7/8, 4/4 shift.

Elmer's Revenge by the Steve Kimock Band, off of Eudemonic.
Long Form Part I has some really nice time shifts too.

The Eleven Jam by the Grateful Dead. One drummer, one guitar player, and bass playing in 11/12, and one drummer, one guitar player, and keys playing in 12/11. When they all meet up at the end of the double cycle, neat stuff can happen.

Or a good deal of Weather Reports later music. Excellent place to start the album 8:30. Live double recording of them. Or am I wrong on the timing changing?

GovernorSilver

10-14-2009, 02:36 PM

On the jazz front, lots of stuff by Steve Coleman, especially what he calls "M-BASE" (a musical approach which has also been adopted by Coleman collaborators for their own projects, such as David "I'm not in Pink Floyd" Gilmore). Frequent time signature changes without losing the funk/swing...

Steve Coleman and the Five Elements:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTK-q0Z9vdU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGxQ5XcyuNM

David Gilmore (neat polyrhythms going too):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozLaxY2tnj0

Steve Williamson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrz2DCzXZSA