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IMPOSSIBLE Time Signature or 4/4? Tigran Hamasyan Explained

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 มี.ค. 2020
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ความคิดเห็น • 925

  • @CharlesCornellStudios
    @CharlesCornellStudios  4 ปีที่แล้ว +504

    This is a look into the main rhythmic theme, but the whole tune is filled with this stuff! Check it out- th-cam.com/video/wOceGbJae8c/w-d-xo.html

    • @p1nkvibe.321
      @p1nkvibe.321 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Charles Cornell hola

    • @sailor6842
      @sailor6842 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      piano father
      please pick me up im scared

    • @temummusic7350
      @temummusic7350 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      I didnt know that you used logic I do too Cool Man

    • @7226918
      @7226918 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      At first I thought this was 4 over 4 but in fast time. 😅

    • @davinchaffin6839
      @davinchaffin6839 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Very nice video. A lot of times, there aren't well explained music videos that dive into higher concepts, but you did this very well!

  • @Wadenesday
    @Wadenesday 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2940

    Sounds kinda like the Gamecube start up, but the cube is very confused. 10/10

    • @brennanruiz1803
      @brennanruiz1803 4 ปีที่แล้ว +60

      I require an edit of this now.

    • @Meechree
      @Meechree 4 ปีที่แล้ว +59

      4/4*

    • @kaaiplayspiano7200
      @kaaiplayspiano7200 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      No, its in 4/4 >:(

    • @rarebeeph1783
      @rarebeeph1783 4 ปีที่แล้ว +33

      10/10 is just 4/4 but you really like quintuplets

    • @want-diversecontent3887
      @want-diversecontent3887 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Project Overturn aka RareBeeph
      No that’s 20/20
      10/10 is *2/2* but you like quintuplets

  • @arienboonstra358
    @arienboonstra358 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2279

    "I'm not that good at drums"
    *proceeds to drum very well*

    • @joselekiwi5695
      @joselekiwi5695 4 ปีที่แล้ว +50

      Ariën Boonstra
      In relation to his piano skills maybe
      (I mean the quote of "Im not that good at drums)

    • @CharlesCornellStudios
      @CharlesCornellStudios  4 ปีที่แล้ว +375

      Lol I appreciate that! I am definitely nowhere near the level of the drummers I play with on gigs and such, but I love playing them anyways.

    • @hermionieismyqueen2097
      @hermionieismyqueen2097 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      And also like slightly bad? But in the best most endearing way possible? Maybe it’s just me noticing some of the specific technique sound

    • @arienboonstra358
      @arienboonstra358 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      @@hermionieismyqueen2097 yeah I'm a guitar player, so I'm not that into drumming. I fool around with them sometimes but I trust your assesment entirely😂

    • @dragonfruiity
      @dragonfruiity 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      I was like "Bruh, I can't even play the triangle"

  • @yonatanmoritz
    @yonatanmoritz 4 ปีที่แล้ว +775

    I love Tigran. His abilities consistently confound me.

    • @fabiovonbrasche9102
      @fabiovonbrasche9102 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Absolutely! He is incredible

    • @chrismhp
      @chrismhp 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      One of my all time favorite musicians. Genius of complex rhythm, technical virtuosity, married with beautiful, inventive armenian melody. Without ever feeling pretentious or try-hard. I'm not surprised Charles is a fan :)

    • @moadot720
      @moadot720 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      666 likes!!!!

  • @matthewcooper4248
    @matthewcooper4248 4 ปีที่แล้ว +644

    I think this basically just shows something my theory teavher told us. Sheet music is just a way to try and write down what the composer has in their head. It really means nothing as long as you perform what the composer meant.

    • @becauseimapotato7599
      @becauseimapotato7599 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Teavher yay

    • @matthewcooper4248
      @matthewcooper4248 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@becauseimapotato7599 How original, pointing out a typo. Piss off.

    • @israsaleh
      @israsaleh 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      @@matthewcooper4248 just take the piss. you might as well fix it if you have the time to reply

    • @lnuma92
      @lnuma92 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      I actually rather sheet music, than just hearing it and figuring out by ear. It's like writing notes in class in a way. That way there's some form of an understanding of where the composer was coming from with the concept of his/her piece from musician to musician.

  • @dragonfocefan113
    @dragonfocefan113 4 ปีที่แล้ว +939

    My mind involuntarily went “BASS” at the end of the video. Wrong channel

    • @paprika2946
      @paprika2946 4 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      Davie504 is ruining us

    • @dragonfocefan113
      @dragonfocefan113 4 ปีที่แล้ว +166

      Pariza Meer I actually meant Adam Neely

    • @paprika2946
      @paprika2946 4 ปีที่แล้ว +38

      Daniel Diaz whoops wrong TH-camr

    • @robpiano88
      @robpiano88 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Crying lmao

    • @zephelia1299
      @zephelia1299 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Epic

  • @kadrodindubldva
    @kadrodindubldva 4 ปีที่แล้ว +372

    FYI: "Vardavar" is a national festival which consists of people spraying water on each other (in the middle of summer in Armenia, temperatures in the captial city Yerevan can go up to 42 °C). Hence the frantic rhythm

    • @knisayusuf
      @knisayusuf 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Thank you.😊

    • @rubenssiomusic
      @rubenssiomusic 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      I was about to comment about Vardavar and then I saw your comment!

    • @aramd8314
      @aramd8314 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Shed I also commented about Vardavar, but credits are yours , you were first 😂😂

    • @nikelodeon6852
      @nikelodeon6852 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      So essentially Holi?

    • @eeroelvisto3802
      @eeroelvisto3802 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Cool insight, but I do quite dislike the "hence the frantic rhythm" thing. Naah, it's there cause it gives pleasure, "frantic" etc are just cultural pre(/mis)conceptions.

  • @ForeverOfMusic
    @ForeverOfMusic 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1202

    Figuring out a time signature of crazy jazz music is easy: it's all in 1/4 time. Done.

    • @joshlyphout4983
      @joshlyphout4983 4 ปีที่แล้ว +73

      What about 3/16

    • @dclarkmusic
      @dclarkmusic 4 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      OG Nova just make everything tuplets

    • @theepicwolfnetwork5220
      @theepicwolfnetwork5220 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Dustin Clark It’s easier that way

    • @ForeverOfMusic
      @ForeverOfMusic 4 ปีที่แล้ว +26

      @@joshlyphout4983 John 3:16? Gsus, I mean, Jesus approved!

    • @TheWoodenZozimos
      @TheWoodenZozimos 4 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      Haha I think Allan Holdsworth made a joke about “I just count everything in 1” at some point

  • @NayatSarı
    @NayatSarı 4 ปีที่แล้ว +146

    Tigran is genious! I had the chance to meet him at an event I organised with my friends. I sang the same evening an armenian religious melody and he played an improvisation on the same music. He is just amazing! Proud Armenian! :)

  • @Bladavia
    @Bladavia 4 ปีที่แล้ว +436

    "Slow it down, and add a metronome"
    *Dramatic surprised hamster turning around music*

    • @MaxRamos8
      @MaxRamos8 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Ha loser

    • @cinnabonbon
      @cinnabonbon 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Time stamp?

    • @nathanlin6798
      @nathanlin6798 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I saw this comment as I came across this part in the video. Exact timing.

  • @daviddockery20
    @daviddockery20 4 ปีที่แล้ว +101

    Nice! This is my favourite Tigran tune, especially the version of him playing it on a mountain with a toy piano. So cool

    • @Hukbriel
      @Hukbriel 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Jajaja yess!!

    • @zacalves
      @zacalves 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      yes! it's also atypically happy for a tune by him

    • @HOBOsnake
      @HOBOsnake 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@zacalves this song was one of those that made me feel as though my brain was rewired for the better after hearing it for the first time. Beautiful song.

  • @stonwall9065
    @stonwall9065 4 ปีที่แล้ว +59

    "I don't think about the 4/4. I just kind of play it."
    *Welcome to drumming*
    😅👍

    • @Cobalt985
      @Cobalt985 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yup. That's how you play Dream Theater for sure lmao

  • @doctodad3538
    @doctodad3538 4 ปีที่แล้ว +69

    You’re the musician version of Berd.
    You shit post so much we forget you’re actually so talented and are capable of so much.
    This video also confirmed that I’m so glad I went the classical route in college.

  • @renthehag
    @renthehag 4 ปีที่แล้ว +206

    I’ve just started getting into Tigran’s music in the last few months. “Fides Tua” is stunning on every level and blows me away as a pianist and a fledgling composer. You did a great job of explaining his use of complex rhythms - love this kind of content from you!

    • @eaf27
      @eaf27 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      same, I'm enjoying the mockroot album.

    • @maxware6897
      @maxware6897 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Look at tigrans song the court jester. The melody can feel a bit strange but it’s amazing from a rythmic perspective

    • @eaf27
      @eaf27 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I'm guilty of listening to Tigrans music on spotify so I don't learn the songs names or what album they are from, but I looked The Court Jester up specifically upon your suggestion and that's an awesome song, now one of my favorites for sure. Man thank you for bringing it to my attention, I love that kind of odd melody and angular feel.

  • @blumenmusic
    @blumenmusic 4 ปีที่แล้ว +170

    I think there's a couple missing elements to this discussion, the big one being compositional intent or whatever you want to call it. Since in the song the drummer never simplifies it down to a 4/4 groove, from a notational/engraving standpoint we'd almost definitely rely on the agogic stresses that both Tigran and the drummer are using, and as a result the more additive meters would be used. The fact that the number of sixteenth notes in the riff happens to coincidentally be a multiple of 16 and therefore line up with 4/4 is a neat coincidence for a party trick but not particularly helpful.
    BUT, contrast that with Entertain Me, where Tigran is playing a similar additive riff (5+5+5+5+3+3+3+3+3) that cycles around the beat while the drummer DOES play a constant 4/4 backbeat, then that makes more sense to write out in 4/4, as it shows where the superimposed drum feel is placed while you could add accents or tenutos or whatever to show where the agogic stresses are that Tigran plays.

    • @achromaticmediant2738
      @achromaticmediant2738 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I agree. I think in this particular piece, the harmonic rhythm is also offset enough that moving away from 4/4 seems to do the piece the most justice. I think of it in groups of twos and threes, and Tigran loves to use fives, so embracing that in our selection of time signatures makes a lot of sense.
      Also, the use of 4/4 drums under complex rhythms or vice versa is fairly common. Look in bands like Rush, Chon, Thank You Scientist... uh, prog bands, I guess, and you'll see stuff like this a lot.
      Panzerballett is my suggestion if you want to laugh at super complex music

    • @davidhoey20
      @davidhoey20 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I agree, and it's important to note that where the accent falls is essentially what defines a time signature anyway. If you play in "4/4" and accent beats 1 then 4 then 3 then 2 then back to 1 it's not 4/4, it's 3/4, and I think it's the same concept here.

    • @tristanjuliusjahnke218
      @tristanjuliusjahnke218 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Damn educational thank you dude

    • @Izurag
      @Izurag 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Absolutely! This is a typical rhythm/metrum/time signature case. You can call a 12/8 a 4/4 with triplets, even a whole phrase can be simplified to a unit of measure, but rhythmically it's what the composer intended it to be.

    • @MrRezRising
      @MrRezRising 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      S'lotta words for four sentences. You'd give V. Hugo a run on for his money 😉.
      Just busting balls. Great point, and respect to your cadence.✌

  • @bigthiz
    @bigthiz 4 ปีที่แล้ว +76

    Entertain me is my favorite jam by Tigran, such a beast!

    • @747lch
      @747lch 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      And The Grid!

    • @bigthiz
      @bigthiz 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@747lch Hell yeah, dude! Basically anything from Mockroot

    • @DoodlezMusic
      @DoodlezMusic 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Add Drip, Court Jester, Double-Faced, Road Song and Out of the Grid to the list. Fucking bangers!

  • @brightfeather8700
    @brightfeather8700 4 ปีที่แล้ว +304

    Twelve seconds in and I’m scared for Jimmy

    • @ShovelChef
      @ShovelChef 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Happy Birthday, Level 8 👆
      (Level 6 added instruments.
      Level 7 got jazzy, obviously. 😁)

  • @ShivamSengupta
    @ShivamSengupta 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    One time, my friend and I (both of us consider{ed} ourselves well versed with rhythm) spent one hour trying to figure out a section of ‘The Court Jester’, only to realise it was 4/4 (12/8) the whole time. That’s when we realised there’s always still a lot left to learn. But Tigran truly is a genius. The melodies he manages placing over such complex subdivisions are beautiful melodic phrases and almost never done just for the sake of doing it.

  • @hermionieismyqueen2097
    @hermionieismyqueen2097 4 ปีที่แล้ว +79

    “I’m not very good at drums” *proceeds to drum well and bad at the same time in the most endearing way*

  • @mattwong10
    @mattwong10 4 ปีที่แล้ว +152

    luke skywalker: "do you know obi-wan kenobi?"
    old ben: 1:29

  • @woomy8971
    @woomy8971 4 ปีที่แล้ว +51

    6:15 there's a video of some buff guy playing giant steps in 13/8 on youtube, highly recommend

    • @achromaticmediant2738
      @achromaticmediant2738 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Panzerballet's version of Giant Steps is my favorite

    • @lucidvoid2528
      @lucidvoid2528 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      ahh yes good ol' John Swoltrane’s Giant Reps
      (yes i stole this comment from the video but whatever it's funny)

  • @welshsteve2009
    @welshsteve2009 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    I stopped trying to count and soon I could just feel the rhythm despite the chaos.
    After a couple of plays without trying to count you start to get a sense of the timing without even thinking about it.
    This is a great piece and I'm definitely going to search more from Tigran 👍

  • @Peartnoy518
    @Peartnoy518 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    For anyone looking to scratch that Tigran itch check out Avishai Cohen, former bassist for Chick Corea's New Trio. His solo work has a similarly beautiful complexity without feeling overdone or pretentious and he always has amazing musicians on his records
    also dude your drumming is way better than I anticipated, quite the multi-instrumentalist flex! Hell yeah!

    • @ryangrainger972
      @ryangrainger972 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      in particular, his trio album Gently Disturbed with Mark Guiliana and Shai Maestro. some unforgettable pieces

    • @EthanMitch
      @EthanMitch 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      His last record is as good as Gently Disturbed!

    • @Erik-ri1mc
      @Erik-ri1mc 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      His first album is still my favorite, what, 20+ years later. I remember where I was when my old boss put it in the car CD player. Those little runs he does blew me away.

  • @RammusTheArmordillo
    @RammusTheArmordillo 4 ปีที่แล้ว +57

    "With music like this you should definitely stick with what you prefer"
    Music teachers: NO, do it MY WAY

    • @raesong926
      @raesong926 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      I mean, you should follow the group leader in general unless you're soloing.... My students also are very young and inexperienced, so they rarely try to interpret the music at all. They just play notes. If I get a rare student who tries to interpret music, I get excited and then offer constructive criticism and try to help them hear their interpretation and where it could be improved.

    • @user-fl6jf4pn2o
      @user-fl6jf4pn2o 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Teaching music to an inexperienced musician often requires you to contradict your own beliefs until they become an experienced musician. You have to spoon feed them all of their potential musical options so that once they become more experienced they have a huge palette to choose with which they prefer

    • @ofdrumsandchords
      @ofdrumsandchords 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Teachers don't usually speak about music like this.

    • @chrisrj9871
      @chrisrj9871 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Like most anything in the world, you gotta know the rules before you can break them.
      I guess you also gotta know the rules of knowing the rules before you break them before you can break them.

  • @longschlongsilver7628
    @longschlongsilver7628 4 ปีที่แล้ว +30

    7:17 if you listen very closely, you can hear the lick

    • @verchojanskij
      @verchojanskij 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I was looking for this comment ! I'm happy to know that I'm not the only one who noticed it.

    • @lmarsh5407
      @lmarsh5407 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      What is a lick? I'm not great with musical terms

    • @Groovetwig
      @Groovetwig 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      L Marsh a lick is generally just a musical phrase but “the lick” is one that’s become something of a joke amongst musicians. it’s quite easy to find a compilation of it being used on TH-cam.

    • @quoteonquoteartist1301
      @quoteonquoteartist1301 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It's also notated in the thumbnail

    • @Groovetwig
      @Groovetwig 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      quote on quote artist how did I not notice that?

  • @louisk.9619
    @louisk.9619 4 ปีที่แล้ว +81

    "This...hits different..."

  • @jonreintjensdrums
    @jonreintjensdrums 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Avishai cohen - Pinzin kinzin is also in 4/4 but also with broken 16ths. Really cool when musicians fool your mind

  • @jazznomad642
    @jazznomad642 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Vardavar is one of my favorite "modern jazz" songs! Tigran is incredible!

  • @carolinephillips9255
    @carolinephillips9255 4 ปีที่แล้ว +48

    We're about to start 'take five' in the jazz band I'm in (a school thing). As a drummer who struggles with 7/8, I'm scared

    • @kingkea3451
      @kingkea3451 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      You'll be fine. You got this dude
      My drum teacher got me to try "Run" by Shihad (a.k.a. pacifier). The intro is 7/8, 6/8, 7/8, 6/8. The verses are 4/8, 6/8, 4/8, 6/8. Then the chorus is 6/8.
      Its tricky at first but once you get a feel for it you'll be sweet

    • @carolinephillips9255
      @carolinephillips9255 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@kingkea3451 thanks for the reassurance :)

    • @xandergreenwood158
      @xandergreenwood158 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      good job take five is in five then

    • @Zantor
      @Zantor 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      lol a pineapple 7/8 isn’t too complicated once you know how to count it. Rather than counting to 7, try counting to 4, but only count half of the number four.. like this: One, Two, Three, FoOne, Two, Three, FoOne and so on.

    • @MaggaraMarine
      @MaggaraMarine 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      ​@@Zantor How you should count it depends on how it's subdivided, though. Well, "should" is probably the wrong word here... But if the 7/8 measure is subdivided 3 + 2 + 2, then I wouldn't try counting it "one two three fo", I would count it "one-and-a two three" (or "banana terracotta" if you are into System of a Down). If it's 2 + 2 + 3, I would count it "one two three-and-a". In other words, find the subdivision and count using it. Most of the time odd time signatures are subdivided into groups of 2 and 3.
      When it comes to Take Five, it makes sense to divide the measure of 5 into two smaller measures - it basically alternates between 3/4 and 2/4. So, "one two three, one two". Not all of the beats are "equal" - the strong accents are on the first and the fourth beat. There's also an accent between the two and three, almost making it feel like it's actually in four, but you just have two longer beats (dotted quarter notes) and two shorter beats (regular quarter notes).

  • @jamesfilms_
    @jamesfilms_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I love how you can make a completely stupid, hilarious, impressive comedy/music video and then turn around and make an educational, slightly mind blowing, video about music theory, while keeping me entertained whichever it is.

  • @dclarkmusic
    @dclarkmusic 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    My favorite thing about Tigran Hamasyan is his genius melodic sense. This song has no right to be as catchy and memorable as it is. The woodwind/voice melody that comes in after this section is so nice. Also, you’re a freak for being able to play this.

  • @Rachelebanham
    @Rachelebanham 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Tigran Hamasyan is an absolute genius! Thanks for covering this Charles

  • @yussefzakzuk5960
    @yussefzakzuk5960 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Love this educational part of your channel. Also love the memes. my favourite Tigran jam is Drip!

  • @IamTabu
    @IamTabu 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    Charles: I know the hardest time signature
    Daniel Thrasher pulls out sheet music with Pi: Are you sure about that

  • @MrLowercase42
    @MrLowercase42 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Saw Tigran play live one time, absolutely transcendent

  • @joshuastclairmusic
    @joshuastclairmusic 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Tigran has recently become one of my favourites. There is some kind of magic in his playing.

  • @YouNoahSup
    @YouNoahSup 4 ปีที่แล้ว +52

    BRO DID YALL NOT NOTICE “THE LICK” AS THE THUMBNAIL ?!?!?!?!?? IT STRIKES AGAIN LMAOOOOO !!!

  • @Scotty515
    @Scotty515 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    This was awesome! I love seeing stuff where the 4/4 is disguised, especially using polymeters and modulation. Would be cool to see you do some stuff on tuplet shuffles using fives and sevens!

  • @ouistitiouistiti3664
    @ouistitiouistiti3664 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I really like this format, it's almost like an Adam Neely video, but simpler and really soothing. I'm eager to watch another video of this format.

  • @caitlinnorton1666
    @caitlinnorton1666 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    You know, I love this channel not just for the content but because Charles has no problem making fun of himself and staying real. So hard to find online nowadays.

  • @PorkchopSandviches
    @PorkchopSandviches 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Omg you know Tigran wow I'm in love

  • @TheRealGuywithoutaMustache
    @TheRealGuywithoutaMustache 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Charles, I don't understand these music terminologies but I still like your videos

  • @slep5039
    @slep5039 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I've listened to Vardavar on repeat for over an hour before and cried to it's beauty

  • @cab88888
    @cab88888 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I've been studying this kind of rythmic music for a while, and I don't really agree that you need to choose between hearing it in 4/4 or feel it without understanding it.
    So as I see no one talking about it, let me break this groove down for you :
    As for any rythm on the drums, you need to understand it well enough if you want to play it and try to become freeer at some point, especially if you want to play jazz with it and change stuff in the moment (which is the fun part but also the achievement of your work...). In this case, the groove is separated by groups of notes that have a certain lenght, which are : 5 - 5 - 3 - 5 - 5 - 4 - 5, or more accurately : 5/16 - 5/16 - 3/16 - 5/16 - 5/16 - 4/16 - 5/16 ("16" just means that these numbers are values of 16th notes).
    To me, that is the real time signature of this groove, because this is what you need to work with to master the groove.
    Now if you're into odd time signatures, you know that for these types of groupings you're not going to count all the 16th notes, you need to count half of what you have, because it keeps your mind twice less busy, and then when you've done it for a while you don't even have to count.
    So in our case, Vardavar would become : 2.5 - 2.5 - 1.5 - 2.5 - 2.5 - 2 - 2.5.
    How does this help? Well,... from then, as the right hand phrases are based on 8th notes, you can start by playing the right hand. A 2.5 group will be played "1-2&-" (5 symbols that represent the 5/16) that you pronounce "one two and" ("-" is a space).
    The 1.5 group would be played "1-&".
    The 2 group would be played "1-2-".
    Now you can piece the right hand sentence together : 1-2&- 1-2&- 1-& 1-2&- 1-2&- 1-2- 1-2&-
    The cool thing is that once you have that, your kicks and snare drum sounds are always placed on a 1.
    It's a clever way to think about those things.
    Try it!
    It could be useful, especially if you like these kind of concepts...

  • @annajazmin6370
    @annajazmin6370 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    Hey Charles! My mum is a piano teacher❤

    • @masondchong
      @masondchong 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      That’s crazy bro....
      But I don’t remember asking

    • @ajfiaewoipaweipefawejpfwoe1049
      @ajfiaewoipaweipefawejpfwoe1049 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Mason Chong dang bro thats hecka funny i laughed

    • @annajazmin6370
      @annajazmin6370 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@masondchong
      Umm I actually spoke to him.
      And if it bothers you that I wrote that then just ignore it. And anyway, nobody cares about it. I just wrote it to Charles. I thought you knew that, because you were so "smart". And I'm sorry, I didn't know it bothered you that my mum has a better job than your mum.

    • @edwind4036
      @edwind4036 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@masondchong that joke's so fucking hackneyed

    • @annajazmin6370
      @annajazmin6370 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@ajfiaewoipaweipefawejpfwoe1049
      You're really lame if you laugh at heartless people's jokes.

  • @aidandoesmusic
    @aidandoesmusic 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    6:18 The intro to Electric Sunrise by Plini. It’s actually in 13/8. Lol

    • @aurioladieuseul1017
      @aurioladieuseul1017 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      YES EXACTLY i can't believe someone else also knows plini in this comment section lol this made me very happy

  • @elodiepiano1745
    @elodiepiano1745 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I first met Tigran Hamasyan when he was 15 years asking for a piano to play in a small village from south of France. Well I do remember he finally plays my sister's piano and I don't think I realised he will become a star. It always make me think why the life did put that guy in front of me. I am a piano teacher now, maybe is a part of it.

  • @SeanFenlon
    @SeanFenlon 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I agree... It's both. :-)
    As the guy who literally wrote the book about Odd Meters (via Doctoral Dissertation about Don Ellis), I distilled time signature theory down to a few basic principles:
    - Everything can be broken down to groupings of 2's+3's
    - Irrespective of the complexity of the time signature numerator, it can always be conceived by the composer as 2/4 or 4/4 with syncopation (and added beats at the end of a phrase/cycle if needed).
    - It happened to me when I purchased the Pat Metheny Songbook -- I thought I completely understood his exotic time signatures, only to see in most cases he conceived/composed the same music in 2/4 with syncopation.
    I don't have enough room for this in a TH-cam comment, but my dissertation dives deeper into the notion of rhythmic superimposition within a barline and rhythmic superimposition OVER a barline :-)

  • @ThomB0ne
    @ThomB0ne 4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    0:17 it sounds a little bit like “Sequence Start” by Sungazer (Adam Neely’s band)

  • @carolinephillips9255
    @carolinephillips9255 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

    Yo Charles, you should try learning pyramid song by radiohead, now that's what I call a weird time signature

    • @LemakiMusik
      @LemakiMusik 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      It's 4/4 with swing

    • @snargemccoy8813
      @snargemccoy8813 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      lol a pineapple it’s not weird it’s was just played with no consideration for us nerds and our sheet music

    • @hiradmoradicomposer
      @hiradmoradicomposer 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Ironically, that's also just 4/4

    • @christophermartin7808
      @christophermartin7808 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Although pyramid song is technically in 4/4 the feel of the meter is actually in the name! Its a repetition of a beat phrase (3+3+4+3+3). If yow thought of the numbers as the points of 2D shapes, you'd get (triangle+triangle+square+triangle+triangle). If you drew those shapes strung together and then cut them out of a peice of paper, you'd be able to create a 3D pyramid, like those weird geometry questions back in highschool. The rhythm is literally a pyramid!

  • @claudio.rios.b
    @claudio.rios.b 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    absolutely agree about distinguishing unnecessary complexity and complexity that fits

  • @scottblasco
    @scottblasco 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Theory and composition professor here. Meter is as meter does: this can be counted OVER with four equal pulses, but it's not a quadruple meter. A similar, more famous example: large parts of the Danse Sacral from Stravinsky's Rite of Spring can be counted over with four equal pulses, but it's very clearly not in a quadruple meter like 4/4 or 4/8 etc. With both examples, the clear structure of the pulse into asymmetric durations and groupings could be renotated with running sixteenths and accents in 4/4, but it would no longer actually represent what the music is doing, and in performance would come out differently.
    Nice video and VERY cool piece, though. I dig it. Tigran's amazing.

  • @gilesunderwood7483
    @gilesunderwood7483 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    the way he described tigrans music reminded me of jacob collier

    • @edwind4036
      @edwind4036 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Indeed!

    • @sinklar1224
      @sinklar1224 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Jacob Collier has a different take on rhythm, he is much more free and tries to avoid quantization whereas tigran is quantization taken to the nexy level with insane time.signatures, though they usually fall into a '4/4 framework'. Vardavar is one example of this but there are many more, such ad entertain me, red hail, and double faced, though double faced is a different beast entirely. Nairian Odyssey is worth checking out as well, it's in 7/4 but with a 4/4 feel. 7 tuplets between each beat. It also has ridiculous syncapation and a 4:5 metric modulation with insanely complex beat warping. David Bruce has a video on it if you're interested.

    • @gilesunderwood7483
      @gilesunderwood7483 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      sss dd nice i’ll check it out

  • @yvindness7046
    @yvindness7046 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    6:19 that's me in a nutshell =D

  • @WeIsDaTyrantz
    @WeIsDaTyrantz 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    He does this a lot on the Mockroot album. I'm transcribing The Grid into a piece for guitar and it's just straight 4/4 the entire way, breaking across to bars with groups of 16th notes arranged in sets that go: 5, 5, 7, 5, 5, 5. In the follow up track, Out Of The Grid, he takes the basic framework of this and obliterates what the previous track did, doing every kind of multilayered permutation until it basically ends on like a basic djent riff. Insane.

  • @ryantjanzen
    @ryantjanzen 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    It's crazy how I heard of Tigran a few months ago, saw him live about one month ago, and now this. Really glad the world has shown him to me

  • @azalago
    @azalago 4 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    I feel like Charles would like Math Rock and Mathcore, just based on his love of odd time signatures.

    • @ashleyvu8167
      @ashleyvu8167 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      azalago Cat Fantastic grooves nobody tell me differently

    • @Toasty283
      @Toasty283 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Dance Gavin Dance anyone? 😂 he needs to check out Will Swan’s guitar

    • @Pkmn20
      @Pkmn20 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      I fear that math rock and mathcore go a bit too far into complexity for complexity's sake, though it's really great study music lol

    • @DaTLMusic
      @DaTLMusic 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Animals as leaders

  • @goofballcartoonist7848
    @goofballcartoonist7848 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    this piece kind of reminds me of part of the Celeste soundtrack, hehe : )

  • @AlexBecerra
    @AlexBecerra 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hey! Thank you very much for the mention.
    And yes, yes it had to be done.

  • @hunorendrevizi1483
    @hunorendrevizi1483 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    man i love that song, i went to a Tigran Hamasyan show this year and had a chance to talk with him a little.. omg he is such a nice person.. the concert was so charming.. i was vibing for the whole duration it was perfect.. best hours of my life probably.. he didn't play Vardavar though:D he went through The Call Within album..
    Lovely explanation too im not musically educated but its so understandable.

  • @aramd8314
    @aramd8314 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    That was incredible!!
    Also I'm pretty sure no one here , exept Armenians, knows what means Vardavar in Armenian 😂

    • @vahekhachaturian2424
      @vahekhachaturian2424 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Ինձ թվում ա որոշ մարդիկ կիմանան։ Տուրիստներ ամեն դեպքում շատ ենք ունեցել մինչկոռոնայական ժամանակաշրջանում։
      P.S. Կոնս ես սովորում?

    • @aramd8314
      @aramd8314 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@vahekhachaturian2424 Չէ 🙂 կարայի , բայց չէ 😂 որոշեցի մի քիչ ուրիշ գծով շարունակել։

    • @vahekhachaturian2424
      @vahekhachaturian2424 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@aramd8314 Օօ.. Նույն խոսքերը ինչ ես եմ ասում)
      Կոմպոզիցիայի բաժին եմ ընդունված եղել, բայց հիմա Android developer եմ։ Կարող ա պարզվի, որ էտ էլ ա համընկնում? 0_օ

    • @aramd8314
      @aramd8314 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@vahekhachaturian2424 անդրոիդ չէ, բայց ես էլ եմ ծրագրավորող 😂 նախնականով ընտրել եմ դատա, հիմա սովորում եմ բայց դե մի քանի ծրագրավորման լեզու գիտեմ, Վեբ եմ բզբզացել ժամանակին, հիմա սպասում եմ համալսարանից ինչ կասեն... որ ըստ դրա , դիմել եմ Computer Science որ հետագայում հետաքրքրությունս կորի Software, Security, Web, AI ուր ուզեմ կարողանամ կես տարում վերակվալիֆիկացիա լինել

  • @BobbyJCFHvLichtenstein
    @BobbyJCFHvLichtenstein 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Charles Cornell is going to be the piano version of Twoset.

  • @Artz22
    @Artz22 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I really like these break down episodes! Educational, fun, and very interesting

  • @oradben-ami7399
    @oradben-ami7399 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    This concept of 4/4 disguising as very complex-additive meters, or the other way around, got me fascinated once I've become quite obsessed with the music of Avishai Cohen.
    Pinzin Kinzin was based on the same idea. It's an additive meter of (4/16)+(5/16)+(4/16)+(5/16)+(4/16)+(5/16)+(5/16). So it's 7 beats of very similar yet uneven length, making an illusive groove of rubato-like 7/4, but eventually it all sums up to 32/16, i.e. 4/4.
    But that 4/4 is not completely hidden as a mere theoretical frame. While most of the voices accent the complex meter, some of them accent the simple one simultaneously. That way it emphasizes the instability while pushing to consistent movement, so it creates intensive yet very fluent groove. And during solo parts, they may switch from one meter to another freely.
    I couldn't stop listening to it. I used to hear that piece every night for months.

  • @goofballcartoonist7848
    @goofballcartoonist7848 4 ปีที่แล้ว +40

    "cleverly? cleverly. cleverly. cleverly? yeah, cleverly."
    me: how about... *cleferly* 😏
    i'll just leave now

    • @TheJofisean
      @TheJofisean 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

    • @levzurcher8902
      @levzurcher8902 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Clefairy

  • @marisalynne6607
    @marisalynne6607 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    When actively trying to avoid a headache, I do NOT recommend this video!

  • @PepekBezlepek
    @PepekBezlepek 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    This was the first song from Tigran I ever heard and it literaly changed my life and perception of music. 5 5 3 5 5 4 5 for life

  • @AJFes12
    @AJFes12 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    he talks so smooth and sounds so smart and plays so amazingly

    • @AJFes12
      @AJFes12 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      he looks so buff to, damn i think i have a crush

  • @mouseswithsaxes9277
    @mouseswithsaxes9277 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    This gives me "music vsauce" vibes

  • @bruh-js7lo
    @bruh-js7lo 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Ooh, look at Adam Neely over here!

  • @rustyintime7993
    @rustyintime7993 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    You probably won’t read this, but I was drifting away from Jazz in my school, even considering quitting the band. You really inspired to get back into it and now I’m enjoying it way better, and for that, I thank you.

  • @lyricmotion1642
    @lyricmotion1642 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    So my dad is always listening to this pianist, so I started also listening to him, but I never thought you would make a video about him. Great job!

  • @chrisphippen6822
    @chrisphippen6822 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I'm feeling like Adam has competition.

    • @marcmurray8847
      @marcmurray8847 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Or a new friend! We all watch all of these dudes

  • @multipersonaccount9047
    @multipersonaccount9047 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    so, can we just call it the ling ling time signature?

  • @haikaido
    @haikaido 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    THANK YOU FOR FINALLY EXPLAINING THIS SONG. I've been listening to this song for forever and I have NEVER been able to wrap my brain around just wtf was happening with the time signature.

  • @RobertRoweMusic
    @RobertRoweMusic 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Just found out Tigran is performing in my city. Wouldn't have known his name without this video. Excited to get to hear him live!

  • @bmthpwd22
    @bmthpwd22 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Only just found your channel a couple of days ago (big fan of what I've seen) but followed your recommendation to listen to Tigran and have been listening to him non stop! He is one hella djenty piano boi 🙌🎹🤘

  • @brandonthebass
    @brandonthebass 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Maybe you could talk about phrasing over the barline in 4/4 as a follow-up.
    A few songs that threw me for a loop:
    Lude - Vijay Iyer Trio
    Yoda - Linda May Han Oh
    Ikan Bilis- Linda May Han Oh
    Still Gas - Rudresh Mahanthappa (this one is a little crazier than the other three, but it’s all 4/4)

  • @drigondii
    @drigondii 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    If you raise the base beat enough (or listen more slowly), everything is in 4/4. It’s called raising the sample rate, and it’s how we are able to convert any sound to digital format. If I can express it in binary, I can express it in 4/4.

  • @JabariMore
    @JabariMore 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    My Orchestra was going to play Take Five (I got to a performing arts high school, I play cello), they couldn’t count for their lives. I just felt the rhythm and it came pretty easy for me.

  • @NathanielBTM
    @NathanielBTM 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    As someone who plays alot of progmetal, Djenty stuff like monuments, periphery ect ect it was very easy to pick up the pattern and just sounded like phrases of 4/4 with different accents. It didn't sound complex at all.
    (I typed this before watching the rest of the video, yeah this is standard for the music I play and listen to lol)

  • @penguindrum264
    @penguindrum264 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    It's awesome to see that some of my favorite music TH-camrs love
    Tigran's music, cause he's severely underated in my local jazz scene even amongst those into "prog" jazz.

  • @dancorwin9232
    @dancorwin9232 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    What are the odds that i discover tigran yesterday and literally right after, you put out a dissection of my favorite song of his. Dang i'm lucky!!

  • @parttimecubing7413
    @parttimecubing7413 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have absolutely no clue what you’re talking about..but you’re killin it man.

  • @RuneMKK
    @RuneMKK 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    The best way I've learned tigran and I'm not even good at piano is utilizing his method of constructing grids. Tigran loves using 5s or quintuplets in this songs case subdivisions of 5+5+3 and 5+5+4+5 are the main pocket to fall into when playing. Another example is The grid which uses A 5+5+7 and 5+5+5 but it adds to 32/16 which is essentially just putting a single 16th note into the prior measure meaning the band at the end of 4 second measure will be in the same place because as he tends to write drums on the accent this helps the rhythm section have some sort of frame to play in. A lot of fun to fool around with.

  • @davewestner
    @davewestner 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    It is pretty incredible how many different ways people count out stuff like this. I personally think it doesn't matter. If one guy says, "it's in 4/4" and the other guy says, "no, it's 17/32......check it out....count it like this", it's just a waste of time......let people just count it the way they hear it if it sounds good.

  • @digitalgridmusic1768
    @digitalgridmusic1768 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    That Take 5 wasn’t supposed to be the focus of the video but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t awesomely done. Nailed it Charles.

  • @dhankanaka5271
    @dhankanaka5271 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you ..... I discovered Tigran because of this video 2 years ago..... Thank you

  • @taysnowwhite
    @taysnowwhite 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    oh man, you gotta do more videos about Tigran’s stuff. like The Grid and Out of the Grid. i just feel like there’s a lot that could be talked about, his work is incredible

  • @ryanwalrel1966
    @ryanwalrel1966 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    As much as I love your tik toks and humorous videos, i'd love more videos like this! love watching you figure out challenging music and geek out about it-I haven't listened to tigran in years and you reminding me of him has gotten me excited about playing piano again!

  • @SnazzSnzWarsaw
    @SnazzSnzWarsaw 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Charles, you are a tank! Thank you for teaching me so much, and for helping me profoundly appreciate music even more!

  • @Dooality
    @Dooality 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    More videos like this please! Tigran is one of the best.

  • @Axe_Slinger
    @Axe_Slinger 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Kind of like his song *ENTERTAIN ME* which is "written in" 256/32 with a motif in 35/16 over it. You could also include Brian Fernyhough who has used 4096th notes and impossible nested tuplets!

  • @engma9698
    @engma9698 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I got to hear Tigran Hamasyan play with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra very recently. He is absolutely brilliant, and his musicianship blew my mind! It was super cool to stumble upon your video and get a breakdown of this composition!

  • @shawnlilly5934
    @shawnlilly5934 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I literally just made a track with that same idea. I like throwing it on people and ask for the time signature whenever the software I used was 4/4 and I couldn’t stray from it without it being too complex. It’s cool to see other examples out there

  • @1MU51C4L
    @1MU51C4L 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    It is basically two bars of 4/4 divided into two sets having sums of (5/16 + 5/16 + 3/16) and (5/16 + 5/16 + 4/16 + 5/16) giving us 13/16 + 19/16 adding up to 32/16 which is same as 8/4 i.e. two bars of 4/4.

  • @I_Cast_Fireball
    @I_Cast_Fireball 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    It's great to explore time signatures, whether it's how songs have complex tike signatures or are more simple than they sound! I'd enjoy learning more about it

  • @ajesco
    @ajesco 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Tigran is SO underrated and amazing. Thanks for shedding some light on him!

  • @Timocracy
    @Timocracy 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I'm glad this was recommended by the algorithm.
    Loved the presentation, loved learning about someone's music I was unaware of.

  • @HrayrArtunyan
    @HrayrArtunyan 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Incredible analysis, thank you. I've been counting the days to his April concert in Los Angeles.. can't wait.