At a time when most dance music adheres strictly to 4/4 time signature, it’s refreshing to hear some songs which deviate from this convention. Here are some electronic compositions in 3/4 time signature or waltz time that could give an alternative soundscape.
Rhythm is an essential element in music, and experimenting with different time signatures is often rewarding. While most compositions feature 4/4 or 3/4 time signatures, other common meters such as 5/8 and 7/8 can add spice and flair.
1. “Carol of the Bells”
Angela Klohn has created a beautiful arrangement of this classic Christmas carol for lever or pedal harp by employing a four-note ostinato, or repeated phase, in 3/4 time signature to emulate the sound of pealing bells. Written for multiple keys with intermediate to advanced difficulty level.
Most modern electronic dance music (EDM) utilizes a 4/4 time signature, consisting of four beats per measure and written as a “C” with a vertical slash through it. Each measure begins with a strong beat followed by weaker ones in every measure – such as highlighted here by the snare’s outline for beats 2 and 3, as well as being reinforced by an upbeat drum fill.
This track utilizes an 8th note and 16th note snare roll that utilizes both to highlight beats 2 and 3, creating an energetic beat which adds extra momentum and excitement for any song.
A 6/8 time signature may be less frequently heard in contemporary dance music, but it can add tension and momentum to your track. Popular in jazz music and guitar-driven rock genres alike, 6/8 rhythm is sometimes featured as well.
This song’s intro begins with one piano note and builds gradually until reaching full chord progression – creating an atmospheric build-up leading up to its chorus with more melodic vocal lines. Experimentation with different time signatures when writing electronic music can give songs their own distinct and memorable sound.
Dance music typically follows a 4/4 time signature, making it suitable for DJs mixing a set in clubs. This style tends to be more functional with more repetition and motifs than traditional pop songs, requiring an excellent balance of sound levels in order to be heard over the beat; various techniques exist such as using white noise swells and tonal risers to slowly build intensity into tracks.
2. “Oh My Darling Clementine”
Western music typically uses four-four time signature, though there are other time signatures used as well. 7/8 time signature can provide a distinctive and interesting musical texture in your tracks; its seven beats per measure creates an unusual but exciting dynamic that makes for exciting tracks!
Electronic music typically uses 7/8 time signature, typically found in genres such as IDM or glitch music, to create more organic and psychedelic sounds. Here are a few songs which use this time signature:
Tipper, an emerging British electronic music prodigy, presents this beautiful example of ambient electronic music featuring a 7/8 time signature. His song incorporates various sounds and textures including ambient pads, drones, arpeggios and melodies in addition to some interesting modulation on synthesizers to keep things interesting and keep audiences guessing what the next element might be.
Venetian Snares from Germany provides another prime example of 7/8 electronic songs. Their song features a drum loop in 7/8 time with other experimental sounds to create an entrancing and captivating psychedelic track which will put listeners into an intoxicating state of mind.
“Oh My Darling Clementine” is a traditional folk song made famous by Bing Crosby and Bobby Darin. It recounts the tale of an outcast miner who loses his love for his daughter but is then punished by her father; since its creation, it has become an anthem for working people, still performed today.
Electro music is a genre of dance music which utilizes synthesizers and other electronic instruments to produce an energetic beat, as well as using distorted drums for more industrial sounds. While many electro artists are male DJs or singers, female DJs and singers also exist within this genre; many songs within electro have lyrics about love or relationships which may appeal to women listeners.
3. “When the Party’s Over”
Writing electronic music songs often begins with a drum beat, providing the track with a strong foundation and setting an overall pace. Most often, four-bar phrases form verse sections allowing listeners to anticipate when chorus or drop are coming next, thus creating anticipation and suspense.
Some musical genres, like new wave and synth-pop, tend to offer a range of tempos; others such as ambient and experimental tend not to adhere strictly to beats at all – though most electronic genres still feature strong rhythmic beats that set the mood and build energy.
This song utilizes a 3/4 time signature, commonly referred to as waltz time. This pattern has one emphasised beat per beat cycle with less emphasis placed on subsequent beats; this helps create an illusion of flow and movement within melodic music pieces.
Even though it’s less often employed than its 4/4 equivalent, 3/4 time signature can work extremely well in electronic styles such as trance and techno. Both genres rely heavily on 808 drum machines to play hip-hop/funk patterns sped up to house/techno tempos; making the genres danceable for much longer than traditional pop music while often featuring processed sounds with modulation or tremolo effects.
electronic music producers frequently explore different time signatures when producing tracks, adding an intriguing dynamic to songs but necessitating a shift in mindset when composing. Some producers choose to keep these experiments under wraps while others use them as a point of difference to their style; one example being breakbeat; this genre uses sampled breaks from funk and soul records pitched up to club-friendly BPM and then overlaid with vocal samples for an exciting dancefloor experience.
4. “Game of Thrones”
Many modern genres of music use a time signature based on 4/4, typically felt as strong beats one, three and occasionally two and four (a backbeat). This tempo accounts for the vast majority of Western popular music from early 20th century jazz through RnB classic rock dance house techno drum’n’bass genres.
Some producers opt to break this convention by writing songs with different tempos, which is no easy task and requires both mental reorientation as well as adjustments to settings in their DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).
Electronic music can be broken into various subgenres, each with its own distinct sounds and tempos. Trance and techno are two examples that use loud kick drums to create an energetic dance atmosphere; other subgenres such as drum and bass and electro use more off-kilter sounds for more offbeat vibes while ambient and experimental genres may rely less on beats altogether.
Every genre has its own rhythms and dynamics that set it apart from one another. Some, such as breakbeat and jungle, feature sampled drum breaks from funk and soul records pitched to an appealing BPM for dancing; other genres, like dubstep and drum and bass heavily inspired by hip hop have an emphasis on sound design using 808s, reverb, delay effects and modulation effects (modulation is different than tremolo).
ambient and trip hop are genres that take advantage of unconventional time signatures to produce distinctive sounds, such as ambient and trip hop. Lamb’s millennium-era album Fear of Fours features “Five,” featuring bars ostensibly in 5/8 time signature, but featuring some extra beats here and there to create some 6/8 bars.
Algae Bloom in Seven by producer Tipper is another fine example. Ostensibly written in 78, this track incorporates beats from 6/8 and 4/4 time signatures to produce an atmospheric yet ethereal melody with organic soundscape and subtle modulation on pads, drones, and soundscapes.