Most of us have grown up listening to music characterized by the familiar time signatures of 4/4 or 3/4. 4/4 is the most common time signature in rock, blues, country, funk, and pop while 3/4 is often used for country & western ballads, not to mention waltzes, minuets & scherzi!

Both of these time signatures are considered ‘simple time signatures’. But what about ‘complex time signatures’?

When I was very young, I listened to a lot of pop, rock and folk. Almost all of it was written in 4/4 time. When I turned 14, I was introduced to the progressive rock bands King Crimson, Yes, Genesis and Gentle Giant. One of the first things I noticed was that I could not easily tap my foot to some of the tunes. When I tried to count them out, I realized that many of these songs were written in complex time signatures and some even used mixed meters, moving from 9/8 to 4/4 to 13/8 etc.

As my internal clock became familiarized with these new meters, I eventually became very comfortable with them and as I began to write songs, I found that I often gravitated towards 7/8.

To me, 7/8 is a wonderful time signature in that it is not necessarily locked to a solid down beat. As I tend to focus more on melodic phrasing than meter, I found that 7/8 was a wonderful pallet on which to compose and improvise because it allows me to play extend melodic phrases.

The following piece called Cogitation is a raw sketch for a song I have yet to finish. I hope you will enjoy it. I offer it as an example of the musical possibilities offered by 7/8 (Don’t mind the cheesy drums and very average mix..remember it’s a raw sketch!)

Cogitation (click to play)

One other thing I will mention about 7/8 is that its possibilities are greatly expanded by where you place the accents. Cogitation is counted with the accents emphasized as follows:

1  2  3  4  5  6 7

However, I also have written pieces with the following accents. (Try taping them out emphasizing the bolded number)

1  2  3  4 5  6  7

and

1  2  3 4  5  6 7

If you want a wonderful example of 7/8, have a listen to the long synth solo in the song The Cinema Show by Genesis from the album Selling England By The Pound. Here is a live version of that solo from YouTube though personally, I prefer the studio version.

Have fun with 7/8!!

P.S.

Here is a good article from Wikipedia on Time Signatures ..

© Gil Namur, 2009

On another level, a large part of the creative process is simply a communication of thoughts between those involved. Communicating thoughts on life, current issues, philosophy, or spirituality opens doors for a fertile creative environment. Then the musical ideas can be communicated. It’s about breaking down preconceived ideas and fears, either creatively or personally, and being collectively innovative. A significant aspect of the brilliance in some of our favorite albums lies within the cohesion of life paths. The musicians who make up these great bands are, for reasons positive and negative, at similar points in their lives. It’s their creative will and emotional fingerprints which attract listeners.

In so many instances bands or sessions fall apart due to small interpersonal differences. These tiny details can grow creating a divide between band members. Issues left alone for too long can distort ones focus and ultimately affect success. As soon as the personal interest in each other is lost the music will suffer. No two musical situations are ever the same, but developing a focus on a few key ideas can considerably increase your output and accomplishments. An open mind and dedicated heart will always overcome in any creative and collaborative situation.

Photo Credits

Photos  © Chris Finch

© Chris Finch, 2009

© Synaptic Systems Inc., 2009

I wrote this song in 1996 as a personal tribute to a guitar player who over the years has had an influence on me. That guitar player of course is Carlos Santana.

I hope he gets to hear it one day! The song is track 2 on my CD, Old Dog New Tricks which I released in 2007.

Thank you Carlos for all you’ve done to inspire so many of us, both musically and personally.

This is for you

Song for Carlos

Visit the Carlos Santana website:

Photo Credits

Carlos Santana at Cow Palace, San Francisco © David Gans

Sourced from Wikipedia article on Carlos Santana

© Gil Namur, 2009

When you pick up your guitar and start playing, you feel as if you’ve played these chords a million times and there is no creative spark to continue. It’s like driving on a road you have traveled many times and there is nothing new to see. You put the guitar down and tell yourself that you will get back to it later.

“Where did my muse go” you ask yourself. You’re dry! You can’t write and you just can’t find a groove. At the worst of times, at least for me anyway, the instrument doesn’t sound in tune, even though it is. The neck feels foreign. I get bummed and I find myself humming B.B. King’s version of ‘The Thrill Is Gone’.

What to do? I have a few thoughts that might help.

Revisit old favorite grooves and work them into a song.

Most of us come up with chord progressions or hooks that we really like. Many of those stay just that, a progression or a hook. We have played them many times and they are always favorites but they go nowhere. We promise ourselves that we will do something with them one day. Taking one of those ideas and working it can re-energize your creativity.

Years ago, I wrote a chord progression inspired by the theme song for Hill Street Blues written by Mike Post and Larry Carlton (one of my favorite guitar players). Anytime I tried out a new guitar, I would play it. Often people would come over and tell me what a great groove it is. I had always thought it would be fun to solo over but never got around to it. A few years ago, I decided to record it with Bruce Davies playing bass. A simple recording with no edits. I practiced over it a bit, hit the record button and then just improvised. I then handed the recording over to my friend and engineer Eric Brad who did a nice mix for me.

Here is the result. It’s called ..

Promenade (click on name to play in a new window)
© 1995, Gil Namur
2 minutes 30 seconds

Every time I listen to this, it makes me smile and makes me want to play my guitar. It’s not really a complete song, it’s just a happy groove, an idea that I breathed some life into with Bruce’s help. Am I happy with all my improvisational choices in the piece? Not entirely. If I was going to record this for a CD, there are a few bars where I would have made different improvisational choices. It doesn’t matter though. It’s raw and it speaks to me each time I hear it. When I record my next instrumental CD called ‘Next Exit’, a new version of Promenade will be on it. I have a vocal CD to do first though!

Change the scenery

If you have one, take your acoustic guitar and head off to the woods or the beach. Remember to bring along some paper, a pen and if possible, a portable recorder.

Try to find somewhere you won’t hear people, cars, cell phones, or jets flying overhead. A change of environment can have a profound impact on your creativity. Start by playing single notes or single chords and listening to how they blend in with the natural sounds of the environment. Let them sustain and hang in the air. Let your ears and your heart guide you as to what to play next. Don’t forget to hit the record button!

Play a different instrument for a few days

I have four guitars for a reason. Each plays and sounds different from the next. They each lend themselves to distinctive styles, which leads me to play different melodies and rhythms.

If you have access to a piano, tickle its keys for a while. Pianos are such inspiring instruments. Alternatively, go buy a nice clay flute. They are inexpensive and can be very expressive. The idea is to get your ears hearing different things. This exercise will often unlock your creative juices.

Unplug or Plug-in

If you are playing your electric guitar constantly, put it in its case and pull out your acoustic. Conversely, if you are always playing your acoustic, then give it a rest and play your electric guitar.

Try an open tuning that you have never played with before. It will force you to explore your instrument in unfamiliar ways and you will hear new musical possibilities.

Unfinished Songs are Unfinished Business

I believe that when we have unfinished songs or tasks, we have dissonance and clutter in our lives. Finishing songs brings resolution and creates the space for new songs. Think of it as musical Feng-shui! You need to discipline yourself to do this. Even if you don’t feel like it, you eventually need to get to the business of finishing the things you have started. If you don’t, you surround yourself with dissonance and clutter.

I wrote an article on this concept at my motivational site. The article is called Look after the little things. I encourage you to read it as well.

By the way, you are not alone. I have written well over 100 songs. About half are actually finished!

Go see a concert

Hearing a gifted musician play can really be inspiring. Often after a concert, I find myself driving home longing to play my guitar. You will often hear sounds or rhythms that are new to your ears. Exploring these on your instrument can open up a deep well of creative possibilities.

Practice

My final idea to share with you is to rely on discipline. It’s so easy to use a dry spell as an excuse not to play at all. What I have learned over the years is that if I pick up my guitar and ‘practice’ for at least 15 minutes, things begin to happen. I will hear something new and that will spur me on to play for an hour or two. That’s when the magic happens. That’s when your muse and you can have a delightful promenade together.

Photo Credits

B.B. King in concert in France 1989 © Roland Godefroy

Woods and moon photos © Gil Namur

© Gil Namur, 2009