Is there a 3/5 time signature?

Depth_Charge · #1 10-03-2007, 05:54 AM

Does 3/5 time exist?

Someone from another forum linked this video of a drummer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5ThulqDmKc

Someone said they thought 3/5 is a time signature and now some people are arguing that 3/5 isn't a time signature.

I don't know, so I am asking here

Thanks,

sobie18 · #2 10-03-2007, 06:03 AM

bluestarbass · #3 10-03-2007, 06:19 AM

3 beats per measure the 1/5th note gets one beat....NOPE

**embellisher** · #4 10-03-2007, 07:32 AM

1/5 note, eh? What would that be across the pond? A .8 quaver, or what?

bluestarbass · #5 10-03-2007, 07:34 AM

you know a fifth note....when you almost hit a note but you change your mind at the last minute

applerocks · #6 10-03-2007, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluestarbass

you know a fifth note....when you almost hit a note but you change your mind at the last minute

...yeah it wasn't a mistake I was just playing fusion.

stedtale · #7 10-03-2007, 07:41 AM

if each measure contained three notes of a quintuplet...

SteveC · #8 10-03-2007, 07:54 AM

I'm pretty sure that the bottom value in a time signature can only be 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64. Th etop number is usually where the odd time signatures and feel come from. 5/4, 7/8, 3/2, etc.

Jeff Martinez · #9 10-03-2007, 08:00 AM

I suppose it's mathematically possible to have a 3/5 meter, but it would be pointless. It would be played/counted the same as 3/4 time...theoretically.

lemur821 · #10 10-03-2007, 10:17 AM

I suppose if you were racing along in 20/5 or something then wanted a three beat measure you might want to use 3/5... but I can't think of a way to write only three beats of a quintuplet.

MakiSupaStar · #11 10-03-2007, 10:21 AM

LOL. Yeah that'll get the the chicks to shake their emersons.

stedtale · #12 10-03-2007, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

LOL. Yeah that'll get the the chicks to shake their emersons.

well, it should get the lakes and palmers goin' though, right?

Eli M. · #13 10-03-2007, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveC

I'm pretty sure that the bottom value in a time signature can only be 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64. Th etop number is usually where the odd time signatures and feel come from. 5/4, 7/8, 3/2, etc.

Correct. The bottom number has to come from a type of note: 1=whole, 2=half, 4=quarter, etc (there is no "fifth note"). The top number indicates how many of that note occur in the measure.

People often say that the bottom number is the kind of note that "gets the beat" but this is not always true. It's true in 4/4 and 3/4, but not in time signatures like 12/8 (4 beats per measure, dotted quarter gets the beat) and 6/16 (two beats per measure, dotted eighth gets the beat).