Dance of Eternity Question

[gabeh1018]

How many key signature changes are there in this song? Also how many times does the meter change too?

at any point is this song atonal?

[theseoafs]

"please help me with my assignment for music class"

[Implode]

^

I have no idea about the first two questions. But I don't think it gets atonal anywhere in the song. But a related question: is the Zappa section BTL atonal?

[theseoafs]

I wouldn't say DT's done anything atonal.  They're a very tonal band.

As for BTL, the instrumental section's underlying riffs always keep a fairly strong tonal center, regardless of the crazy stuff the soloing instruments are doing.

[Jay.Ess]

No, it's not atonal. The use of unconventional (or exotic) scales/chord progressions does not make something atonal. 
There is still a semblence of a key throughout, and notes/chord progressions being resolved to home tones. I think I read somewhere there are around 120 meter changes but I cannot remember the exact number, so I'm probably a bit off!

[gabeh1018]

A. not for an assignment

B. im not implying or suggesting whole tone scales or anything exotic is atonal

just a question

[BlobVanDam]

No, it's not atonal. The use of unconventional (or exotic) scales/chord progressions does not make something atonal. 
There is still a semblence of a key throughout, and notes/chord progressions being resolved to home tones. I think I read somewhere there are around 120 meter changes but I cannot remember the exact number, so I'm probably a bit off!

I had the same number in mind, so either we're both right, or coincidentally had the same entirely wrong number in mind.
Not sure if it was mentioned on the LSFNY commentary, or maybe on the MP drum DVD (the one that has the SFAM stuff).

[YtseJamittaja]

Here's the right answer: 123 meter changes.

[Elite]

1) How many key signature changes are there in this song?

2) Also how many times does the meter change too?

3) At any point is this song atonal?

1) 5.
2) 125.
3) No.

[gabeh1018]

1) How many key signature changes are there in this song?

2) Also how many times does the meter change too?

3) At any point is this song atonal?

1) 5.
2) 125.
3) No.

Ok thank you  kind sir for that information

[Dreamer81]

It goes through over 128 time signature changes as stated by MP here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7jikeIyKaE

[Nekov]

That's just insane

[Jaffa]

That's just insane

[Kotowboy]

We listened to some truly atonal music in Theory Class.

It actually had no tonal centre and the entire orchestra were playing completely different things.

Don't remember the name of the " composer " . But I think it was Cedric something or other.

It's really hard to find truly atonal music as most music you can think of has a tonal centre at some point unless it's completely random.

[Elite]

That's just insane

It's not really THAT insane. Granted, I don't have a more extreme example of frequent time signature changing, but it's not that difficult. Really.

[Mosh]

Yea, the time signatures don't make The Dance that difficult to play. On guitar at least.

[Jaffa]

That's just insane

It's not really THAT insane. Granted, I don't have a more extreme example of frequent time signature changing, but it's not that difficult. Really.

Just because it isn't insanely difficult doesn't meant it isn't insane.

[Elite]

That's just insane

It's not really THAT insane. Granted, I don't have a more extreme example of frequent time signature changing, but it's not that difficult. Really.

Just because it isn't insanely difficult doesn't meant it isn't insane.

If you look through the time signature changes, most of them are just riffs that have been cut off over multiple bars, to make up for the stress of the beat. Basically, most of the song is notes in a row aligned on a certain beat. In order to put this to music correctly, using the Western music notation, the result is that which it is; a song with lots of time signature changes. Also, a LOT of the stuff in the song is just in regular 4/4, mainly the keyboard-/bass- and guitar solos. Even though there's lots of time signature changes, I don't really think it qualifies for being 'insane', for the above mentioned reasons.

[Jaffa]

'Insane' wasn't meant (by me, anyway) as a compliment or insult, or an observation of difficulty, or anything else, really.  Just a simple matter of "Wow, that's a lot of a time signature changes." 

[black_biff_stadler]

About the Beyond this Life atonal matter, JP has specifically said he tried to make sure the really fast shred solo at 3:12 avoided having any tonal center (I think it was in a Guitar World mag I bought like a decade ago.) I'm not saying that makes it so or doesn't make it so, I'm just leaving this little tidbit out there for y'all to add some clarity to the issue.