What time signature is this?

[fake-bass]

http://www.myspace.com/highbrake

The song called the River...

Its my brothers band...i just want to know what time sig the intro riff is in, the one straight after the noisy intro.

THANKS!

[russianspy]

9/8

[fake-bass]

How?

[russianspy]

Basically 4/4 plus an added eighth note.

[fake-bass]

I still can't hear it..oh well...

[scottmabe]

cool timing...glad you guys knew !!

[bassnug47]

9/8 fo shur

[JimmyM]

If you want to get technical, it's really 9/4.

[russianspy]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

If you want to get technical, it's really 9/4.

I don't know. The pulse seems to be quarter+quarter+quarter+dotted quarter, which implies 9/8 to me. But to each their own.

[JimmyM]

That would actually be 7/4 or 7/8, bro

Here's how I decide which to use...if I can count every single beat as in "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9," it's 9/4. If I have to count superimposing triplets, like this:

1-----2-----3-----
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Then it's 9/8. It's a very thin distinction, but that's how I do it. Either way, you have to count to 9, so I guess it's fine.

[russianspy]

Originally Posted by russianspy

I don't know. The pulse seems to be quarter+quarter+quarter+dotted quarter, which implies 9/8 to me. But to each their own.

2+2+2+3=9

And 9/8 doesn't have to have a triplet feel.

[fake-bass]

I was counting it like you mr russianspy...i just didnt know that was 9/8

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by russianspy

2+2+2+3=9

And 9/8 doesn't have to have a triplet feel.

DOH! Brainfart! Sorry...you are right about the count. And while you're right that it doesn't need a triplet feel, it's usually a deciding factor for me. But again, as long as you end up at the same place at the end of the song as everyone else, it's fine.

[HaVIC5]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

That would actually be 7/4 or 7/8, bro

Here's how I decide which to use...if I can count every single beat as in "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9," it's 9/4. If I have to count superimposing triplets, like this:

1-----2-----3-----
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9

Then it's 9/8. It's a very thin distinction, but that's how I do it. Either way, you have to count to 9, so I guess it's fine.

While although 9/8 can imply a compound triplet meter (like an irish slip jig), there is plenty of music in 9/8 where there is an irregular subdivision of the pulse. I very much doubt you would consider songs like Blue Rondo ala Turk to be in 9/4 - it's obviously in 9/8, and the subdivisions regularly change back and forth from the 2+2+2+3 thats represented in this song to the 3+3+3 triplet pattern.

9/4 and anything where the number of beats is more than twice that of the unit pulse is rather rare, since usually it's representative of a much larger compound feel (such as 4/4 plus 5/4).

[russianspy]

Yes. I agree completely. Just didn't feel like typing out such a thorough explanation.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by HaVIC5

While although 9/8 can imply a compound triplet meter (like an irish slip jig), there is plenty of music in 9/8 where there is an irregular subdivision of the pulse. I very much doubt you would consider songs like Blue Rondo ala Turk to be in 9/4 - it's obviously in 9/8, and the subdivisions regularly change back and forth from the 2+2+2+3 thats represented in this song to the 3+3+3 triplet pattern.

Actually, I always did think Blue Rondo ala Turk was in 9/4

[onlyclave]

I would transcribe this as 4+5/8 instead of 9/8. I know that you can subdivide 9/8 into whatever you want, HOWEVER, 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8 are typically reserved for triplet feels as it aids in sight reading.

If you insist on calling it 9/something, call it 9/4.

[Pacman]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

If you want to get technical, it's really 9/4.

Actually, if you want to get technical, there's no difference unless you're writing it down.

[kesslari]

Yeah, this is 9/8. The quarter note is defining the backbeat here, (that snare is on 2 and 4) and they're adding an eighth at the end.
My take, at any rate.
There's a nice traditional Turkish 9/8 on my myspace page.
http://www.myspace.com/jonathankesslerbassandpercussion - Varna Karsilima
Pacman - I'd differ. It depends on if you're counting the quarter or eighths as the pulse.
"Money" is definitely a 7/4.
The "Mission Impossible" theme is 10/8, not 5/4 (or 10/4).
Or in my (other) musical world, the classical Turkish rhythm "Samai" is 10/4, whereas the folk rhythm Jurjuna (spelled differently, but I can't make the odd characters to spell it correctly) is 10/8. There's a huge different in the pulse that you count in each case.

[AlphaMale]

It goes: (1+2+3+4+) One and Two and Three and Four and One and Two....
Basically a 9/8 really hard to get it out