Odd Meter Riffs

guitarsalad14 · #1 08-02-2007, 05:08 PM

Anyone got any good Odd time sig riffs ala "Erotomania"? I'm just looking for some ideas to get me started

Dragon Slayer J · #2 08-02-2007, 05:34 PM

cynic, tool, necrophagist, and sikth are a few popular ones that use allot of unusual time sigs. tool really helped me to understand the mechanics of unusual time sig writing.

Martyr Machine · #3 08-03-2007, 12:30 AM

I suggest taking a look at Tool's "Schism". The song uses a huge variety of odd time signatures.

guitarsalad14 · #4 08-03-2007, 02:12 AM

Ok I'll check it out

HeavyMetal4Ever · #5 08-03-2007, 01:16 PM

Check out some King Crimson.

Robert Fripp is the king of odd time signatures, and a very underrated player in my opinion.

Rock on!

Roland · #6 08-03-2007, 01:53 PM

Meshuggah. Pretty much anything they've ever done - but Chaosphere's a good starting point. Stay away from "I" and "Catch 33" if you're just getting started. Those are morse-coded sentences posing as time-signatures.

ken_r152 · #7 08-03-2007, 02:14 PM

The very best odd-meter songs and riffs are the ones where you are almost unaware that it is written in an odd-meter. It should be smooth and rhythmic.

Yes has a number of songs that involve odd meters. Most of "Awaken" is in 11/8 or 11/4. "Mother" from the Police is in 7/4. "Money" from Pink Floyd is also in 7/4.

Guitarzan088 · #8 08-03-2007, 02:47 PM

I like the song "Follow" by incubus. I'm pretty sure that it goes from 4/8 up to 9/8. It's hard to tell because changes practically every measure!

If you want to listen to a very, very strange song with lots of time signatures look up "Write of Spring". That song is just...wow.

taracatac · #9 08-03-2007, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guitarzan088

I like the song "Follow" by incubus. I'm pretty sure that it goes from 4/8 up to 9/8. It's hard to tell because changes practically every measure!

If you want to listen to a very, very strange song with lots of time signatures look up "Write of Spring". That song is just...wow.

Are you referring to Stravinsky? Pure Genius!

Drew · #10 08-03-2007, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragon Slayer J

cynic, tool, necrophagist, and sikth are a few popular ones that use allot of unusual time sigs. tool really helped me to understand the mechanics of unusual time sig writing.

Also add Porcupine Tree to that list - they're MUCH more subtle, but they're a great example of how to work odd time riffing and compound time signatures into a "pop" song structure. The guitar/drum groove for the verse of "Open Car" is just seriously cool - it's like Meshuggah for Radiohead fans.