[JohnR]

Just listened to Houses of the Holy (Led Zep) for the first time in a while. And I'm wondering - whatever happened to complex time signatures? You know - 5/4, 7/8 etc. Especially mixed up like Zeppelin did. I find it just incredible to listen to these guys switch times from bar to bar without ... uh.. missing a beat. It still amazes me. Are there contemporary performers that do this? Or am I just "living in the past"? (sly joke there )

[BobM]

You need to listen to more contemporary progressive music. Back in the day, Zep was very progressive, for a mainstream band on the radio. But Yes and Genesis were also playing on the radio back then too. Everything was written in the key of C# and often in 7/8 time.

Our public music system today is regulated by a computer program, so any band that goes too far away from the middle of the road just does not get played at all. So you get songs in G at 4/4 that all sound like Coldplay.

Yiou need to broaden your horizons. Check out this forum for lots of good new and old progressive music that will never make it to the radio today.

www.progressiveears.com

[R_burke]

You can always try some fusion jazz, here's a list of new and old:

Mahavishnu Orchestra
Five Peace Band
Return to Forever
Charlie Hunter
Garaj Mahal

[woodsyi]

Zeppelin and Prog; sure.  But there is more.  Check out this fascinating dissertation on the philosophy of metal.  I am not a fan of this music but it's a great read for all music lovers. 

Kind of wish we had a place to discuss things like this. 







P.S. Just because I wish for it does not mean that I am unaware of the nightmarish havoc such a circle would create for moderation.  Just call it a wistful lament.  

[Ericus Rex]

Compound time sigs are all over the place in prog rock and metal...and film soundtracks.  Are you into those genres?

[jazzcourier]

Why not go to the source- Indian music.Unusual time signatures and beats abound. It can be a challenge to keep up with the sophisticated,complex and detailed formulas that make up most Raga's.  Twentieth century classical composers also used some amazing alternating time signatures. Add Dave Brubeck with "Take Five" plus dozens of other of his  like minded compositions-it became his "thing" .Gil Evans work with Miles "Sketches of Spain", and he went on to incorporate that into his own writing .Listen to "East West" by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band which feeds off of the basic 4/4 and then switches to a take 5/Raga rock mondo Bolero for an extended improvisation with soaring guitar from Mike Bloomfield. This was really the first long,extended "jam" that fostered much of what you would hear in the next few years from San Francisco groups,I.E. "the dead". Also the Charles LLoyd Quartet "forest Flower" and "Sombrero Sam"-live at the Monterey Jazz Festival.The odd time signature is an ever expanding musical universe with lots of galaxies!