The 5/4 Time Signature: Leading Worship in Spirit and Truth
One of my songs that I don’t get to use in worship very often is called “My Refuge,” and the reason I don’t get to use it very often (with a band, anyway) is because it is in 5/4 time.
5/4 time means that there are five beats per measure and the each beat is a quarter note. Since there are five quarter notes per measure, there are therefore ten eighth notes and twenty sixteenth notes. If you’re not quite sure what 5/4 time is, just think about the Mission Impossible theme song. In the Mission Impossible theme, there are four accented notes per measure: the initial downbeat or “1”, the “and” of 2, and then “4” and “5”. So, it would look something like this…
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 &
If you read that line out loud, and stress the counts in red, it should help you understand how the feel of the song is created. Conveniently, my song “My Refuge” has the same meter…
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 &
You are my
Rock
You are my
Strength
In whom I
find my
Ref – uge
Playing the song in 5/4 time seems to always be a challenge for drummers, so I’ve proposed a way to count the beat to make it easier. HH=high hat, K=kick, S=snare
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 &
HH HH HH HH HH
K S K S
The basic drum beat or “groove” is relatively easy to play once broken down as above. I recommend not adding any fills unless you are very confident in your ability to add the fill, then return to the main groove. A great fill that ruins the overall groove is of no value. When you’re ready, try adding a fill on beats 4 and 5. RT=rack tom, FT=floor tom
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 &
HH HH HH
K S RT RT FT FT
Or if you want to get a little more fancy…
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a 5 e & a
HH HH HH
K S RT RT RT RT FT FT FT FT
We recently played “My Refuge” in our worship set, and it went very well once our drummer found the groove. It was well received by the worshipers too, who appreciated its uniqueness and lively tempo.
Using odd time signatures like 5/4 can help keep things fresh as well as provide a challenge, so don’t be afraid to try something new once in a while.
Now go watch an old “Mission Impossible” episode,
Scott
