What's So Great About Septuple Timing? (7/4 and 7/8)
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- Опубліковано 19 лис 2021
- 7/4 and 7/8 aren't oft-used time signatures in pop and rock, but when septuple meter is used, it stands out! Watch this video to better understand how septuple meter can be used using a few examples.
I look at a few of my favourite prog, pop and rock songs - and a jazzy tune too - to explore the different ways of playing with septuple meter in songs.
Things obviously get a little proggy, because odd time signatures, but there's something for everyone here.
Songs mentioned in this video:
- Money; Pink Floyd
- Solsbury Hill; Peter Gabriel
- Unsquare Dance; Dave Brubeck
- Lucky Seven; Chris Squire
- Thunder Child; Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds
- Hello Hello; Caravan
I absolutely love this, I came here to understand the time signature in (JT music's "reflection"= a nerdcore horror rap). Thank you for the explanation!
In Solsbury Hill, the 7-beat rhythm is not just a clever trick PG uses to impress his friends: it very clearly defines and describes the feeling of the moment of the song. The 7-beat rhythm is essential to the song, imparting real urgency to what is otherwise very simple and gentle.
If an eagle flew out of the night to tell me I can finally go home, I wouldn't take the time for the 8th beat to pass either. No time for that. We're going home.
Super helpful! 👊🏼
This is the second video I've watched on the difference between 7/8 and 7/4 and I still have no clue what it is. I trust that you explained it well, though, and I appreciate that.
I could probably have put more effort into explaining the exact technical differences, and less on looking at specific examples. I think I'll do more time signature videos in the future and will make sure they're a little clearer. Thanks for watching :)
Good video, I like it. An obvious example of 7/8 (alternating with 8/8) is Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells.
Another classic example in pop is the Beatles' All You Need Is Love - 7/4 in the verses.
Ahh yes. Great examples! Thanks for watching.
I'm a huge fan of Mike Oldfield! I may have to do a video on him one day
tubular bells is just beautiful
great video man! this was really a clear and helpful explanation. also love the editing, keeps the video goin so smooth!
i think another great example would be radioheads 2+2=5. it has kind of a different feel tho since it divides the 7 beats into 2 equal parts.
but i've been kinda struggling to tell if it its best notated in 7/4 or 7/8.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Brilliant video once again, interesting to hear your opinion of Dave Brubeck, I've always thought of him as an intro to odd time signatures, especially as I've grown up without much experience of prog/jazz so he's always held an important place in my experiences of music.
Money has always sounded wrong to me, but I don't know whether that's just because of its swung rhythm, but it's always sounded like it's trying too hard to sound impressive which detracts from it.
The only other prominent example of 7/4 I can think of is All You Need Is Love in the chorus. Maybe I just like The Beatles too much, but that just seems natural and what Lennon thought sounded best for the song.
Glad you enjoyed the video!
Hope I didn't come across as too harsh on ol' Dave Brubeck - I do like his stuff: I just don't *love* it.
Yes, All You Need Is Love is a great example! I had to leave that off though as I have some Beatles content coming up soon anyway ;)
Great introduction to those time signatures! Go check those balkan folk music examples of 7/8: "Jovano Jovanke" is a north macedonian love complaint, "Zaspo Janko" is a serbian mourning chant (although this one is sung in 4/4 as well, so be sure to check several versions). They have additive time signatures with this pattern: 3 + 2 + 2.
Once you've checked them, go see how smoothly this people can improvise using these keywords: "jovano jovanke Trag instrumental". How they pull it off is still a mistery to me.
Wow, great video and great references too. I love Caravan! They definitely don't get enough love. You've earned a subscriber in me and I look forward to checking out your other videos. Cheers.
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the video, and welcome to my channel :)
I have a Caravan based episode in the works, so watch this space!
@@bigyellowpraxis Could you tell us more about the Canterbury scene in general? I only know a few vague things about it.
love how that caravan song sounds xD i like the part where the dmca hits
AHH drat. I hadn't realised it was doing that.
Thanks for pointing out though. Stupid youtube :(
Hope you otherwise enjoyed the video!
Man, how could you miss March of the Pigs by Nine Inch Nails? It's a seminal song of theirs and just may be their best. It perfectly fits the lurching quality of 7/8 you mentioned. They even switch between 7/8 and 4/4, between verse and chorus. Kind of like, "Money." Seriously, I've been tempted to try to make a mashup of those two songs, they fit in so many ways.
Soda Stereo en el septimo dia 7/8
How’s Never
What's lame about naming it after it's time signature? 7:35. Is Take 5 a lame name?
Super helpful! 👊🏼