I've noticed that most(90%) of all rock and contemporary rock music is written 4/4. Nothing wrong with 4/4 but I think about signs like 6/8 and 3/4 and 12/8 and how they aren't used in rock but in classical music they are. I know of one song in 6/8 and they rhythm is ok. I think the reason people always use 4/4 is that it's easy to write in because we hear it every day of our lives but if we got used to other times I think we'd be able to make songs in those easily as well. Personally, odd time sigs interest me because they're very different but tricky to pull off a good rhythm because we're used to even time sigs. XD
any thoughts?

You should also take into consideration how many "classical" pieces of music use common time, and how many contemporary actually use 6/8, 12/8 and 3/4. Nearly all of blues rock is written in some sort of triple meter (6/8, 12/8, 3/4, etc.) for example, yet blues is written with the same I-IV-V style of pattern.

You may want to venture out into different time signatures if you consider 6/8 and 12/8 to be "bizarre." They're actually extremely common, nearly as common as 4/4. 3/4 isn't as used commonly in contemporary (mainstream) music, however it is still extremely common.

Go and listen to some Frank Zappa. He uses 4/4, 13/16, 7/8, 5/4, 3/4, etc. etc. all over his stuff. Not to mention, he also writes extremely complex rhythms which makes you feel as if you're spiraling out of control, even when you're just vamping in common time.

I don't know anything about rock music, but for other interesting time signatures, you can check out Cruise Elroy (cruiseelroy.net) for some fun rhythm in video games. Jet Set Radio Future is insane.

Some fun examples:
Don't Be Afraid (www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_4buHR8mWU), the battle theme from Final Fantasy VIII, is in 10/8 (3+3+2+2)
Dave Brubeck's Blue Rondo (www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc34Uj8wlmE) is in 9/8 (2+2+2+3)
Mack Wilberg's Wonder (www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSZ7ydGJfo) is in 7/8
L's theme from Death Note (www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvnjIEThU-U) famously alternates between 13/16 and 14/16.
Suzumiya Haruhi no Tegakari (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbQxzGrvqTc) is in 16/8 (3+3+3+3+2+2)Not to mention pieces like Asphalt Cocktail (www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQNGkDbkzxc), which don't even really have a meter. The thing is, unusual time signatures really aren't that difficult to write. Why don't more artists use them? I really don't know.

Of course, don't forget about Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSyoi0EGYBw).

You may want to venture out into different time signatures if you consider 6/8 and 12/8 to be "bizarre." They're actually extremely common, nearly as common as 4/4. 3/4 isn't as used commonly in contemporary (mainstream) music, however it is still extremely common.



I know 3/4 is used for waltzs and minuets but have you ever heard any rock or jpop or metal that uses 3/4 time or 12/8 time?

Of course, don't forget about Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSyoi0EGYBw).That piece ROCKS.


I know 3/4 is used for waltzs and minuets but have you ever heard any rock or jpop or metal that uses 3/4 time or 12/8 time?Maeda Jun uses all sorts of interesting time signatures. The chorus in Little Busters (www.youtube.com/watch?v=2po8Qbz9qc4) goes from 3/4 to 5/4 to 4/4. And I'm not sure if it counts as J-Pop, but the second half of To the Same Heights (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaG7pyYAfI4) is in 5/8. Come to think of it, though, almost every J-Pop song I've heard is pretty solidly in 4/4.

^the pillows, great example. *thunderous applause*

Oops, I actually meant Maeda Jun's song written for the visual novel of the same name. But that works too, I guess. :P

Since I am getting much too excited for the next Coldplay album, I thought I'd share some things that contribute to this thread, specifically. Coldplay, as everyone knows, is a HUGE MAINSTREAM BAND (however... they're actually a band who writes great music, who just happens to be incredibly popular) and it's funny-- they have quite a few songs that are in 6/8, 3/4, 12/8 and even some that switch between 4/4, 3/4 and even switch 4/4 with 7/4 (or 7/8...however you want to count it). Anyway, here's just some of those examples off the top of my head:

A Spell a Rebel Yell (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqvA6Qb-aNc) This one could be counted as 4/4, however, it grooves to a 3/4+5/4 pattern much easier.

A Whisper (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1nT513b6zc) Yet another song that can be counted a few different ways. 6/8 is the main time signature, but this can easily be translated into 12/8, because of the hard feel on beats 1, 4, 7 & 10.

Twisted Logic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa7kOlRvUPA) Song in 6/8.

Glass of Water (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-92XB8EU3E) One of my all-time favourite Coldplay jams. The verses and bridges are in a quick 4/4, and then the chorus changes into 7/4, or you *could* count it in 7/8, but that'd make your foot hurt ;)

Shiver (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWcKB8tLrEs) Yet another song in 6/8.

Death and all of His Friends (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_wcRxGbqdU) at the 2:21 mark, the song jumps into this incredible 7/4 riff (however, I'd suggest that you all listen to the song from beginning to end).

Now, on a different note, another band, Radiohead, writes a lot of songs that use bizarre time signature, and are very popular (however, it seems not as many people love them as much as Coldplay, at least when it comes to the Billboards Top 100):

15 Step (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WedRDYmtvX4) The song is completely in 5/8. This was actually used as the first credits song for the movie Twilight... so this would make this song pretty mainstream and contemporary ;)

Nude (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYLujepur9g) This one is in 6/8 all the way through. It's slow, groovy and quite beautiful.

Paranoid Android (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF8khJ7P4Wg) I wanted to find one that wasn't on In Rainbows, so this one is another great example. Most of the song is in 4/4, however at 2:09, 2:31, etc. the time signature changes into 7/8 for a few measures.

Subterranean Homesick Alien (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1tQFX_9ct0) PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS SONG ALL THE WAY THROUGH IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THE OTHERS. OKay, I'm not trying to preach my musical taste, just wanted to add in that all of these songs are amazing ;) This one is in 6/8 the whole way through.

I think I'll stop there, I don't want to go overboard with examples. I can find some Zappa tunes as well, but those wouldn't be within the last 20(minus) years.

And I thought Emerald Shine was talking about this song when he mentioned Little Busters (I jumped the gun and just thought "the pillows" when I read Little Busters):

Hello, Welcome to Bubbletown's Happy Zoo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiXatyeoKhE) Aside from the crazy title, this song is pretty straight-forward and by one of my favourite bands. Anyway, the main verse chords are in 7/4 meter, then change into 4/4 for the rest of the song, however this pattern repeats anytime the verse is played.

Hope this changes your mind that bands out there don't just use 4/4 all the time. :) And I only used these bands, because they are what I know best!