Thanks, Ian. I think playing Turkish weddings back in the day helped me practice…

Johnny, yes, I am guilty of entering borderline pieces in can 6. However, the rules for can 6 clearly state “For this challenge, we want you to use AT LEAST two time signatures in your song.”

I am fully aware that pieces like these score extremely low on the commercial scale and can be hard to listen to.

Personally, I like to play with music and musical building blocks when I write and in this challenge I am 5 years old.

With regards to CAN 6.
First thing i do is listen to all 3 songs as i lookout for 2 different time signatures.
That usually narrows the field of play down straight away.
The ones using 2/4 to 4/4 don’t exactly jump out at you but yet they are still two different time signatures.
Songs using 3/4 and 4/4 are more obvious to the ears and i do think more effort must have taken place to get those two very different times working together so something like that i would notice more and it might possibly get my vote because the requirement we are looking for is the best song using 2 different time signatures.
I’ve noticed a lot of freestyle entries in CAN 6 with many time signatures (as you would expect with freestyle) but for the purpose of reviewing i look for two very different time signatures that work well together so the freestyle entries for me personally are kinda borderline entries as far as what this can is asking me to vote for because the music is not tied down to 2 different time signatures.
Johnny

No sweat, Ian. One of my favorite recordings incorporating loops and beats into conventional rock is Jeff Beck’s “Who Else?”. Every time I try my hand at creating something useful incorporating loops I get frustrated and it ends up on the unfinished pile. Do I feel a challenge for next year’s six pack coming on? LOL.

The biggest roadblock for all of us (in the Western hemisphere) with the time signature changes is our constant exposure to quarter notes based music. The 6/8th and 12/8th time signatures are the exception but often easily understood because of their resemblance to 2/4th and 4/4th with a triplet feel.

Once we train our internal clock to tick in 8ths notes you’ll be amazed how familiar a 7/8th feels with accentuation in the right spots. A strong melody in said signature also helps carry a song.

Hmmm, I guess I should have studied math…

Nils

Shoulda said…..Nils does it well !!!

hmmm…tough question Nils….I’ll have to think about that one
….lol

yeah Troy….2/4-4/4 is’nt gonna impress much I’m thinkin’

but I must admit…funny time signatures is’nt really my thang……always found it difficult to keep-up with the more advanced timings….I’m not a mathematical player….but I do enjoy listening when it’s been done well.

I’ve managed a 5/4-4/4 on one and a 3/4-4/4 on another one…
but I dont see any more comin’ for me at the mo’….unless I’m suddenly zapped by an alians raygun which enables the victim to have incredible Math skills linked to fingers that actualy do…what the brain tells them to do…..lol

Thanks for your input Nils. I myself am having a hard time trying to get something cohesive happening with a two timer track and the 2/4 4/4 time changes are easier for me to do (of course) but I keep trying something in other odd time sigs and nothings working so far. I may have to go the easier way if I’m going to contribute to can 6!

Peace
Troy

Troy,

I think there was a discussion going on about this in the past but I’m not sure what the overall consensus was. In my opinion, technically a 2/4 to 4/4 change is a time signature change but it’s probably open to interpretation when there is a true 2/4 measure implemented. I agree, a more creative tims signature change scores more points in my book if done well.

I tend to use half-time/double-time changes in compositions quite a bit but don’t consider those signature changes.

Just my opinion.

Nils

Oh fellow blogonites,

I’ve been reviewing in Can 6 lately. I wonder what you guys think about the song time signatures. Do you consider a song in 4/4 and 2/4 qualifies for the “two timer” can? Because really the complete song is in 4/4. I myself will give a higher rating to a song that is doing something more drastic with a time signature like 3/4 to 7/4 (if it is done well). What are some your opinions on this? Anyone?

Troy

Hahaha Ian, nice one! But are you opposed to loops? Are you saying you are the genius hybrid? I need to get out more and listen to my bjam friends

Hey…whats so wrong with Ian Nathaniel……I play Instruments too……lol

Imagine they had called him Johnny Nathaniel, the perfect hybrid between loops and instruments. Music 2.0

Congrats Peter, I guess after knowing Jenny and Joshua so intimately through you we are all going to be God parents to Ian Nathaniel. How wonderful that born out of this circle of musical friends so many beautiful ideas have been concieved. Lots of luck to them and thanks for sharing all their delightful stories.

That’s wonderful news Peter! A great name too, magnificent really!

FYI: Joshua sent me a quick email note overnight and asked me to share it with the seventh can. He and Jenny went to the clinic to get their first scan of the child and they are having a boy.

Jenny decided his name will be Ian Nathaniel.

Heaven help the child. . .

oh… and by green… i mean recycle. dont do drugs… ROFL

Peter:

Thanks for the update… Good to know the kids are all right and not being converted to socialist… lol