I'm currently arranging a cover of the song "Wind" by Japanese singer/songwriter Akeboshi. This song is fairly popular in Japan, and it even has a bit of an audience here at home, serving as the first ending theme to the popular anime Naruto. It's reflecting narrative themes and somber atmosphere place it right at home with other 'soul-searching' type songs, but there's something different about Wind.
More specifically, Wind is written in an odd time-signature. 5/8 time, to be exact. Odd time-signatures aren't as prevalent in popular music as even time-signatures, maybe because their 'offbeat' nature may be difficult for some musicians to work with rhythmically. Some beginning artists (yours truly included) feel more comfortable writing in 4/4 or 3/4 time (or 'common time'), and writing in an odd time-signature can feel daunting if you've developed a natural habit of writing 'evenly'. (is that word applicable?)
However, there are some really cool songs that incorporate odd time. Examples include:
The original Mission Impossible theme. (5/4)
Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel. (7/4)
5/4 by the Gorillaz. (5/4 guitar, 4/4 everything else)
They also make the rounds in plenty of Jazz and Blues songs, as well as a fair repertoire in Classical music.
So the next time you sit down to pen a classic song, consider moving that beat forward one more note. You never know, it may be the best thing you ever did!
More specifically, Wind is written in an odd time-signature. 5/8 time, to be exact. Odd time-signatures aren't as prevalent in popular music as even time-signatures, maybe because their 'offbeat' nature may be difficult for some musicians to work with rhythmically. Some beginning artists (yours truly included) feel more comfortable writing in 4/4 or 3/4 time (or 'common time'), and writing in an odd time-signature can feel daunting if you've developed a natural habit of writing 'evenly'. (is that word applicable?)
However, there are some really cool songs that incorporate odd time. Examples include:
The original Mission Impossible theme. (5/4)
Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel. (7/4)
5/4 by the Gorillaz. (5/4 guitar, 4/4 everything else)
They also make the rounds in plenty of Jazz and Blues songs, as well as a fair repertoire in Classical music.
So the next time you sit down to pen a classic song, consider moving that beat forward one more note. You never know, it may be the best thing you ever did!
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