5/4 Strum pattern?

tropicana · 08-16-2003, 10:53 PM

For worship band, we have one song in 5/4 timing. The strum pattern I've been using works well when the drummer and I play, but with the flutes it sounds off. Any suggestions?

jbm222 · 08-17-2003, 07:21 AM

Three suggestions:

1. Take out the flute players with a sling shot.

OR

2. Build a new pattern. Start very simple, and just and strums until it sounds good.

OR

3. Track down a recording of the song, and try to figure out the exact pattern used by the original artist.

bobthecockroach · 08-17-2003, 07:22 AM

With 5/4 it helps to figure out some sort of pattern to the beats. 3-2, 2-3 are pretty common. How Deep The Father's Love For Us is kinda like 2-1-2. If you can isolate some kind of pulse to the rhythm it can be easier.

tropicana · 08-17-2003, 11:59 AM

The way the drummer plays it, the beat seems one-two one-two one-and. I was playing along with that, doing one-two one-two rest-and. As far as I know, there are no recordings, as it is a hymn that our pastor brought us to sing from his old church, but I could see if I can track one down.

nate95366 · 08-17-2003, 07:20 PM

When I'm playing 5/4, I always (and maybe this is due to my general lack of experience playing in 5/4) feel a musical "need" for a sort of re-start with nearly every measure. If you're able to listen to your combo while you're playing and hear where the flute sounds "off," that may open up some insight to which beat(s) (of the 5) you need to be extra-careful around...

Nate

tropicana · 08-18-2003, 12:18 AM

It may just be that the flutes and I have difficulty 'finding' each other, because we both sound fine with just the drums.

jbm222 · 08-18-2003, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tropicana

It may just be that the flutes and I have difficulty 'finding' each other, because we both sound fine with just the drums.

The way you described the rhythm, I'm thinking that the flutes are off, not you. Try having the drums and flutes play without you. Then it would quickly become obvious whether it's you or the flutes.

Nate · 08-18-2003, 10:46 PM

Out of curiousity, what is the title of the song? I'm fascinated by 5/4. I think it's awesome.

In His love,
Nate

tropicana · 08-19-2003, 08:14 PM

It's called Sing of the Lord's Goodness. I don't know much else about it, other than our pastor brought it to our youth pastor who then gave it to us to play.

Xkcer Man · 08-19-2003, 08:35 PM

Here's a popular one.

Code:

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 &

V   V ^   ^ V   V

tropicana · 08-27-2003, 09:42 PM

Hey you guys, I managed to midi-ize it for you. There is the piano part, which I follow, the vocals, the descant and a couple of little keyboard patches I've been playing with.

Xkcer Man · 08-28-2003, 07:17 AM

That sounds almost exactly like Take 5.

aiwahead · 08-28-2003, 07:26 AM

Haha. Thats exactly what I was thinking, but I couldnt remember the name of the dang'ed song. Thanks Xkcer!

tropicana · 08-28-2003, 12:56 PM

Wow. It does. Now I have more ideas to play with when I feel like spicing the hymn up. Thanks.

FTS · 09-02-2003, 06:58 AM

Man, you have a worship song in 5/4... how LUCKY are you =] The only thing that comes CLOSE to being an 'irregular' (although 5/4 is pretty regular) time sig that we play is 6/8 =]