What time signature is this?

[Snipehunter]

I'm learning an original for a singer songwriter where I have the acoustic guitar recording. In each phrase in the verse, I hear seven main pulses where each pulse is divisible by 3. Is that just a fast 3/4 with 7 bar sections (would be about 158bpm)? Seven bar sections is kind of odd so I started to think it might be a slow 7/4, but then there would be chord changes on every beat for the first four beats and that seems weird.

I know it would be easier for you to hear but I wouldn't want to post the recording without permission. Let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks!

 

[Les Fret]

Either seven 3/8 bars or 4/4 plus 3/4 in triplets. But it is impossible to tell if we don’t hear it.

 

[White Beard]

Could be 21/8.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

It’s not 21/8.

Is it quarter note = 158? That’s not a fast waltz and with original singer/songwriter stuff it makes more sense that they did indeed write a 7 bar phrase, particularly if they sing/write a melody before they put a lyric to it. But all of that is moot, you’re really just trying to play along with an existing track and as long as they play it the same way. Unless you’re musical director writing parts for the other musicians?

 

[Snipehunter]

It’s not 21/8.
Is it quarter note = 158? That’s not a fast waltz and with original singer/songwriter stuff it makes more sense that they did indeed write a 7 bar phrase, particularly if they sing/write a melody before they put a lyric to it.

I think you are probably right. Attached is a sample of just the guitar if you want to take a listen.

Figuring this out isn't necessary. I'm just kind of curious for my own learning. Thanks!

 

[Les Fret]

I think you are probably right. Attached is a sample of just the guitar if you want to take a listen.

Figuring this out isn't necessary. I'm just kind of curious for my own learning. Thanks!

Ok that is helpful.
I count 4/4 + 4/4 + 4/4 + 2/4
(all triplets)

 

[Ralph Manak]

A songwriter I recently worked with writes songs with added beats—could be one, two, or three—at the ends of phrases. The band accommodates her (and it usually does work pretty well), even though the root cause has to do with how she's learned to play guitar. She does the same thing with some cover tunes, as if ending a verse and then needing to wind up to start the next one. It's like a floating one. It's consistent, so the band can learn the quirks and get through things. Let's call it iconoclastic.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

Just sounds like 14 bars of a reasonably quick but not superfast 3/4 to me.

 

[albertus]

yes, very simple 3/4, maybe 6/8 (I would need to hear the melody to decide that). the count in 7 makes no sense
sounds like a fun song to play. I like odd number of bars

 

[Les Fret]

It’s just three 4/4 bars plus one 2/4 bar. Like I said in post #6. Nothing complicated or 3/4 or seven.

 

[Kerry Brown]

I agree 4/4 with an emphasis on one and three except the last bar.

 

[Groove Master]

The way I hear it is like this: 2 patterns of 7 bars in 3/8. The first 2 bars are more like a 6/8 follow by 5 bars of 3/8 then repeat. Or you can group the 5 bars into 2 bars of 6/8 and add a 3/8 at the end. It might be easier to feel it like that. 3 bars of 6 then a 3.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

The way I hear it is like this: 2 patterns of 7 bars in 3/8. The first 2 bars are more like a 6/8 follow by 5 bars of 3/8 then repeat. Or you can group the 5 bars into 2 bars of 6/8 and add a 3/8 at the end. I might be easier to feel it like that. 3 bars of 6 then a 3.

This is pretty much how it sounds to me too, except that I'd use /4 rather than /8. Po-tay-to, po-tah-to. I don't think the 4-4-4-2 schema works--at least given the information we have--because it ignores the fact that the sequence repeats exactly halfway through, inplying that we have two equal parts rather than four unequal ones.

But it's possible that the three feeling could be a counterrhythm. More of the vocal line might be able to clarify that ... or not.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

I've listened to that short soundtrack.
The rhythmic pattern reminded me of Goo Goo Dolls - Iris.
Time signature - 4/4 or 6/8, or 12/8, or 3/4 ...

 

[Les Fret]

I've listened to that short soundtrack.
The rhythmic pattern reminded me of Goo Goo Dolls - Iris.
Time signature - 4/4 or 6/8, or 12/8, or 3/4 ...

A bit indeed. I count that as four bars of 8/8 (or 4/4 if you will) and then from 0:12 it changes to 6/8 until 1:10

 

[Groove Master]

I've listened to that short soundtrack.
The rhythmic pattern reminded me of Goo Goo Dolls - Iris.
Time signature - 4/4 or 6/8, or 12/8, or 3/4 ...

This is a good example of a 2 against 3

 

[BassyBill]

It’s whatever time signature you choose to best represent the rhythm. If I was to transcribe this, I might choose alternating bars of 12/8 and 9/8. That would work for the short sample posted here. But time signatures aren’t really “correct” - only convenient ((or not).

 

[ryco]

That snippet phrase sounds like 7 bars of 6/8 to me.
But example didn't go long enough to see if/where the progression repeats.

 

[mapleglo]

That snippet phrase sounds like 7 bars of 6/8 to me.
But example didn't go long enough to see if/where the progression repeats.

This^
The snippet definitely has a 3/4 feel to it.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

But example didn't go long enough to see if/where the progression repeats.

It actually does repeat halfway through. Seven bars of 3/4, then the same seven bars repeated.
The individual seven-bar phrases break down as three bars plus four bars. So, 3 + 4 + 3 + 4.