The final kind of meters that we’ll discuss are complex meters
. These meters do not fit in the simple or compound categories because they are a mixture of both. One measure of complex time signature consists of two or more pulses of different lengths.
A common complex meter is the quintuple meter
five-four: 5 quarter note beats per measure
:
Typically, this meter has 2 stronger pulses
. Unlike simple and compound time signatures however, the pulses are not the same
.
Instead, the 5 beats are divided into a group of 3 and another of 2:
This strong-weak pattern of five-four is: Strongest, weak, weak, Strong, weak
Another possibility is a group of 2 beats followed by a group of 3. The strong beats here occur on the first and the third quarter note beats.
The strong-weak pattern here is: Strongest, weak, Strong, weak, weak.
This combination of groups of twos and threes is what makes the meter complex
. Obviously, the rhythms composed in complex meters have different characters and possibilities than those in simple and compound meters. But this doesn’t mean that complex meters are better; they’re just different!
One of the first major composers to use this quintuple meter was Tchaikovsky in the 2nd
movement of his 6th
symphony.
Example 11.3 - Rhythm only; Example 11.4 - With melody
Let’s take a look at a septuple meter
(that is, a meter made of 7 beats). This is seven-eight: 7 eighth note beats per measure.
As we’ve said, complex meters are most often a mixture of duple and triple. This meter is no different and the 7 eighth notes are organized into 2 duple pulses and 1 triple pulse. This gives us 3 possibilities of organizing the 7 beats. The first is like the diagram above shows: 3 + 2 + 2. Another possibility is 2 + 2 + 3:
And finally, 2 + 3 + 2:
