Aphex Twin. What time signature is Digeriedoo?

[Bobby Summa]

This doesn’t sound standard 4/4 Time Signature to me. Ive probably thought it before but forgot as first heard this tune on pete tongs show in my sisters Escort XR3 in 1991 cruising Brighton when i was 15. Her boyfriend had the the window wound down, i said, crank it up Shane! We got some particularly horrified looks at the traffic lights from the car next to us.

Anyone enlighten me on the time signature?

 

[Hot Tuna]

I don't hear anything unusual, it is a steady 4/4 throughout.

 

[Bobby Summa]

Thanks Hot Tuna. There’s probably just something about the drums then that throw me. Or that combined with the other quite unusual sounds used (or perhaps their placement, im not sure) but my mind follows this track in a different way to most 4/4 music. For example, when tapping ones foit or nodding ones head whilst listening to it, it doesn’t have the regular straight and direct emphasis of many 4/4 type tracks. (I don’t know if I’ve explained myself well there). I guess the fact that it’s even indicates its a 4/4.

There is a track by Black Dog which when it came out was called Xeper from the Trance Europe Express 1 album i bought early 90s.( probably 93, but on its release day whenever that was) It’s absolutely full of gems. ( most aren’t trance as we know it exactly tho)

Track 7 on this. Ive always thought this was 3/4 but id love you to enlighten me. Although you’re probably gonna be distracted by the brilliant semi detacted by orbital which is first up.

 

[Jetflag]

I can tap a 4*4 beat to this with my feet. Try loading it into your DAW and activate your metronome/click or kicksound to 146 BPM. should fit.

 

[Bobby Summa]

I can tap a 4*4 beat to this with my feet. Try loading it into your DAW and activate your metronome/click or kicksound to 146 BPM. should fit.

Do you mean the aphex one or black dog?
Good advice though il give it a try ( especially on black dog track) . Digeriedoo i can tap too as normal but it just feels a little different rhythmically. Hope you’re getting through today ok chum

 

[Jetflag]

the Aphex Twin track is (from what I can tell) 146 bpm.

 

[Hot Tuna]

The Black Dog track (it's released title is Xeper - Carceres Ex Novum) is a bit more complex. It depends what bpm you hear it as - when trying to count I settled on the double-time beat of 198bpm, although you could easily settle on the slower 99bpm count. You're right that the drum beat/loop is in 3/4 time (at 99bpm, or 6/8 at 198bpm), and I think that's the case throughout the track. When just the drums are playing you should hear a pattern repeat as you count 1-2-3 1-2-3 (or 1-2-3-4-5-6 1-2-3-4-5-6 if you hear it in double time).

But it sounds like all the melodic elements are in 4/4 timing. Try and pick out just the bass or piano and you'll hear patterns repeat around 1-2-3-4 (or 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8). Therefore patterns sound like they're drifting in and out of sync and it's a bit uneasy, which was Warp Records in a nutshell. There's also some shuffling (slightly off the beat) going on with some of the melodic notes to further complicate the rhythm.

 

[Bobby Summa]

The Black Dog track (it's released title is Xeper - Carceres Ex Novum) is a bit more complex. It depends what bpm you hear it as - when trying to count I settled on the double-time beat of 198bpm, although you could easily settle on the slower 99bpm count. You're right that the drum beat/loop is in 3/4 time (at 99bpm, or 6/8 at 198bpm), and I think that's the case throughout the track. When just the drums are playing you should hear a pattern repeat as you count 1-2-3 1-2-3 (or 1-2-3-4-5-6 1-2-3-4-5-6 if you hear it in double time).

But it sounds like all the melodic elements are in 4/4 timing. Try and pick out just the bass or piano and you'll hear patterns repeat around 1-2-3-4 (or 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8). Therefore patterns sound like they're drifting in and out of sync and it's a bit uneasy, which was Warp Records in a nutshell. There's also some shuffling (slightly off the beat) going on with some of the melodic notes to further complicate the rhythm.

Superb analysis. Now you say it, I remember when I listened to this track a lot ( which i have over the years) that the synth lines/pads I thought are in different time to the percussion/drums. Such a fascinating piece. Its great you have solid music theory.