Your favorite prog odd time signature? Five, Seven or Nine?

[The Letter M]

Progressive rock is known for MANY things - obtuse lyrical concepts, really long songs, and of course, odd time signatures. They weren't first heard in 70's prog, but that era definitely made odd times more famous (well, more so than Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" and other odd-time jazz pieces had already done). In the world of rock music, odd times are mostly used by progressive rock bands, and many of us here are fans of them, so the poll here is simple - what is your favorite of these three time signatures? Songs in 5, songs in 7, or the rarer ones in 9?

Back when I first discovered prog with Rush and Dream Theater, I'd say that 7 was EASILY my favorite, as a lot of Rush and DT songs use 7 in many places, but as time has gone by over the last 13 or so years since then, I've grown fond of songs using 5/4 and 5/8, but i'm not sure which of the two I would call my favorite. They both have their own merits and can be used in a multitude of ways for different feels.

Then there's the odd one out - 9/4 or 9/8 - which typically doesn't get used for whole songs as much as 5 or 7 do, but it can be used to great effect in epics or other longer pieces, such as the famous example of Genesis' "Supper's Ready" and the aptly titled "Apocalypse In 9/8". The Flower Kings have used 9 on many occasions, most notably in "Stardust We Are", and one more recent example I really enjoy is "Everything" by Anathema, from We're Here Because We're Here, which employs a fast 9/8 piano part (or perhaps its 9/16).

And yes, I know I'm not including any time signatures ABOVE 9, simply because anything in 11 or 13 or 15 or above are simply just combinations of smaller time signatures, like Genesis "Robbery, Assault and Battery", where the middle section is often noted as being "in 13" but is really just a combination of 7/8+6/8, then 9/8+4/8. I know 9 can technically be conceived in this way but I felt like including it in addition to 5 and 7 because it can be used in a few unique ways apart from just sounding like two groups of different bar times mashed together.

Anyways, this post is probably WAY too long already...just pick one, list some examples and say why you like what you picked.

-Marc.

[lordxizor]

5/4 makes me happy.

[Scorpion]

Good songs make me happy, regardless of the time signature. There's good and bad songs in any time signature.

[The Letter M]

Good songs make me happy, regardless of the time signature. There's good and bad songs in any time signature.

Okay, that's cool, but not really the point of the poll. I'm not asking what you think makes songs good or not, since that's a fairly subjective thing anyway. I'm just asking if you have a preference towards one time signature or another, based on songs that you like that use them.

-Marc.

[?]

7 typically sounds the smoothest and is the easiest to write riffs in.

[Elite]

The world's most famous example of 5/4 is not a prog number at all, but indeed Brubeck's 'Take Five'.

Furthermore, 5/4 & 5/8, but also 7/4 & 7/8  are also pretty common in classical music and in music from Eastern Europe. In fact, look around in random classical music (though especially in twentieth century composers), and you'll find a lot more unusual time signatures. Even before 'prog' became a thing, uncommon time signatures were already abound in popular music. The Beatles did some whacky stuff, as did the likes of Frank Zappa (okay, that's almost prog-era) and lots of (mostly avant-garde) jazz artists.

Lastly, 9/8 isn't special at all. Groupings of three have been used since the Middle Ages.

Also, I agree very much with this sentiment:

Good songs make me happy, regardless of the time signature. There's good and bad songs in any time signature.

But having said all that, I think 7/8 lends itself best for a nice groove. But that also mainly depends on the song. Pain of Salvation can let 21/16 groove as well, and there's a song by Ron Jarzombek that's in 65/64 that's also pretty freaky.

[Kotowboy]

Kotow used to love writing in 5 or 10.

I wrote a piece in 9/8 if anyone would like to hear it ?

[RoeDent]

I voted for 9, but I've heard 7-time so much that that almost feels more natural than even 4/4. It has thrown me a bit when I'm expecting the next bar to start when they add an extra beat to make it 8.

[Mosh]

7/4 has become the 4/4 of prog. It doesn't really sound all that exciting anymore and often feels forced. 7/8 is kind of in the same boat but people seem to be more creative with it at least.

[Adami]

7/4 has become the 4/4 of prog. It doesn't really sound all that exciting anymore and often feels forced. 7/8 is kind of in the same boat but people seem to be more creative with it at least.

I feel like 7/4 used to be the 4/4 of prog, but now 9/4 is the 4/4, while 4/4 has become the 6/8 of prog.

[TheCountOfNYC]

7/8. One of my favorite things to do in a song is to write a sequence of 3 measures of 7/8 followed by a measure of 4/4. 7/8 (and to a lesser extent 7/4) to me still has a catchy rhythmic pulse while also having that progressive and complex edge to it. It's the perfect time signature. Just listen to Kayla by Flying Colors and Money by Pink Floyd (for a 7/4 example). Super catchy songs but still rhythmically complex and it's because of the use of the 7 time signature.