The SECRET To Mastering Odd Time Signatures on the Drums!

[@jonthrustle4920]

Explained brilliantly bud, thank you so much 👍👍👍

[@DaveMajor]

My pleasure!

[@tubular167]

My two favourite things in one video...coffee and odd time...my band play prog...so loads of odd time stuff...we just got a new guitarist and I have to spend a lot of time explaining how it works..days and days...lol..I think I will just tell him to watch your video Dave...you covered it really well.....😁😁

[@DaveMajor]

Glad you liked it dude....and I'm sorry to hear you have to deal with a guitarist 🤣🤣

[@SteAndRach]

Ahh love the coffee bean analogy- super creative way to get a point across! Glad we came across your channel form Matt's slack community- keep up the great work and excited to see your grow 😁💛

[@DaveMajor]

Thanks guys!!

[@tdrum21]

Clapping like a mad Man 👌🏽😜

[@chrisscarpa2173]

Great video. Keep going!!!

[@DaveMajor]

Thank you Chris. 👊

[@sat1241]

@@DaveMajor thanks for the video. What do you think of drummers who teach to always count these odd times as some sub division, in sets of 2 and 3 ?

[@DaveMajor]

Hi there. You are welcome. That's totally fine and a great way of getting into them. Like anything you want to avoid it becoming a crutch and you end up sounding blocky. So feel those groups as a pulse or clave and phrase ontop of them

[@bmrbca3658]

@Dave - Is there a reason you don't count in 1/16th (1,e,&,a, 2,e,&,a...) notes versus 1/4 notes?

[@DaveMajor]

Hey there! prepare for a long answer. in this context the 1/4 is the best thing to count as we are trying to develop the sense of pulse and playing in and around it. Because in any time signature the type of note on the bottom (i.e 8 in 7/8, 16 in 15/16) gets the count (or counted with numbers) when you learn to count 4/4 but only quarters you can easily transfer that skill. In a more general sense I would always count ALL the options when practising something. In musical that is 16th based the options are : 16ths, 8ths, 1/4, Upbeat 8ths (only the +'s) and then e's and a's For triplets that would be - Triplets, Swung 8ths (1 ta 2 ta) 1/4s and upbeat swung notes (ta's) then possibly the middle partial. All music is based around one of these subdivisions so having your counting structures for them is good. I did this video about that stuff here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHOklKWBra2Ga68 The 1/4 note is the connective pulse for all the music we listen too and play, even with afro-cuban beats we naturally feel a 1/4 even though the traditional musicians who play them feel the clave. So being able to count just the 1/4s and feel that pulse allows you to move between any subdivision, style, rhythm and concept easily. If I was to count 16ths or 8ths then I would not be able to play triplets or quintuplets or move seamlessly to jazz for a bar. Hope that helps but feel free to come back with more questions if you have them.

[@jiasiyang4513]

My entire knowledge of 5/4 is basically Morning Bell by Radiohead with a couple of extra bits and bobs.

[@DaveMajor]

Radiohead are great examples of using odd times musically.

[@jiasiyang4513]

@@DaveMajor 15 step is another great one for that. The bassline when it comes in and ties it all together. Boosh!

[@jiasiyang4513]

Also I was on the Nottz scene with these guys and they could bust out an odd time signature ending or middle 8 every now and then: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGOXfY2jhLyVqKs and kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6LKgXappbhjqqs I remember finding it super impressive and I still think they stand up as great pop songs, Ross sadly passed 6 years back. Super nice lad.