I kind a like 5/4 beats. It started of course with "Take Five", which comes from the album "Time out". On that album are also the classics "Blue Rondo a la Turk" a 9/8, grouped as 2-2-2-3. "Unsquare Dance" (not on Time out, but Desmond-Brubeck production) a 7/4 is grouped as 2-2-3.

For me Take Five is like a waltz, perhaps because it is grouped as 3-2. But you shouldn't count at all, but just feel the rhythme. (totally agree with Scottyee)Espescially if you want to improvise on it. I played Take five on my accordeon in 1972 with a big band. I have a bad recording of it on my website. (actually 2 recordings, one with a small band, the other one with a big band.
Here is the link with the big band: http://www.hercodeboer.nl/mp3/accord/finaleM.mp3
I arranged it together with Golson's whisper not, which is a 4/4, but at the end I come back to the 5/4 beat of take five.


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drdalet


[This message has been edited by drdalet (edited 04-12-2005).]

I'm surprised at the statement that a song in a 5/4 beat is like a waltz. In my opinion a waltz is played in a 3/4 beat only.

I know that there are not many songs played in any other kind than in a 4/4 beat. That's the main reason why I've written a song with strange kind of beat changes. The most parts are composed for electric guitar and synthesizers.
It starts harmless in a 4/4 beat, than softly fades into a 6/8 beat and after a little while the tempo doubles (still beating 6/8), than stopping into a 5/4 beat (with synth solo and a heavy rythm guitar) to slow down the tempo for the following 4/4 beat part with smoothing synth colors, than crosses over into a 6/8 beat part with also smoothing synth colors, than suddenly changes into a piano part accompanied with a deep blue Les Paul solo (very hot!) still using a 6/8 beat, than changes into a 4/4 beat still playing piano until the end.
This song is so 'chaotic' that I called it "Apocalyptic Area"...

I think, it's the composer's passion which defines the sight of a 5/4 beat. It's possible to feel 2+3 or 3+2 but you can also feel 1+4 or 4+1. And you can also feel 5 as one (and that's what I really meant with "take five" ).

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Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)

[This message has been edited by Sheriff (edited 04-12-2005).]

Very well said VQuestor,

I've never had to play 5/4 before but did play around with the 5/4 beat on the Tyros and it was a bit confusing. But with your idea the whole thing makes sense. It took me thirty seconds to start thinking in 5/4 time.

Good advice.

Chony

Another way to get familiar with a feel (5/4 to me is more a feel than a time signature at lease that’s how I think of it), is to think of a song that has 5/4 or just count 5/4 and do that when you are not playing the keyboard. So when you are doing other things you will constantly have the 5/4 meter ticking in your head and you will become immersed in the feel.

I meant that it's as easy as a waltz as soon as you got the feel of it. As long as it is grouped as 3+2.
If you want to get the hang of it, set your keyboard style to the jazzstyle Five-Four - pick variation A, choose a chord and start improvising. Keep it simple at first and if you've got the feel, try changing chords. You will notice if you try other variations, they can get you off balance more easily.
Try not to count.
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drdalet

[This message has been edited by drdalet (edited 04-17-2005).]

Ah, now I know what you mean. If you play it as 3+2 you feel a little bit like a waltz because it's something like a 'half-waltz'. You play 3/4 plus 2/4 which means one bar as waltz and the following as a quarter bar earlier stopped waltz (or contrariwise if you play 2+3).
What about this? Try to count 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 & 5! This will give you a slow 1-2-3 group followed by a faster 1-2-3 (4-&-5) group.

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Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)