Edited to add that we cross-posted, so I went back and listened to your 5th take. The stop time before you resume the 4/4 time signature is quite effective. For me, though, the switch from 4/4 to 3/4 with the tempo change is a little jarring even done gradually. It just feels to me like it ought to be triplets in 4/4 at the same tempo. (I watched the bars on the bridge this time, and saw that you wouldn't need to add or subtract anything at the ends of phrases; you have it very neatly divided.)
Cathie, any substantial tempo change will be "jarring" to some extent, even if it's done very gradually. I don't think this can be avoided, and I don't think that's the ultimate objective either. Perhaps it would be helpful to compare the tempo changes in my fifth demo to the tempo changes that were done in other songs that have already been released and became very popular. If my tempo changes are comparable to and perhaps even less "jarring" than the ones in the songs at the following links, then this should suffice as an answer to the question I asked in my OP. In fact, the reason I asked that question is that the articles I had read on this topic prior to posting my question advised against changing the tempo in a song. But, according to the first paragraph in the article at the first link below, tempo changes are one of the most overlooked tools in the songwriter's tool box. Here's the complete quote:
"For this week’s top 10, we’re going to explore one of the most overlooked tools in a songwriter’s toolbox. But don’t worry, even if you don’t write songs, I’m sure this will inform your musical listening (if nothing else, you might just hear these songs in a different way). Unfortunately, it seems as though a good tempo change in a song is becoming less and less popular in today’s music. It’s virtually non-existent in most hip-hop, dance, and pop styles, and we think that’s a shame. A common musical device of classical music, a tempo change (speed of song) is something that should be explored and celebrated for its musicality. As humans, we’re rhythmic by nature, and an increase or decrease in tempo has unique physiological effects on the listener. So let’s check out some sweet tempo changes that work wonders in the songs we love."
https://mysongalive.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/top-10-tempo-changes/https://www.reddit.com/r/musictheory/comments/6d2ana/favorite_tempo_change_in_a_songpiece/https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-songs-with-many-tempo-changeshttps://kpsu.org/blog/12-great-rock-songs-change-dramatically-mid-song/https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3fMEe78seMp28I3rytx1Yphttps://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2018/mar/15/readers-recommend-playlist-songs-with-sudden-changeshttps://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/108141-songs-that-change-tempo-half-way-through/Then there's the following excerpt from a forum on stackexchange, which I'll link to below:
"Q: Is changing tempo during the song and back again a common device used on modern popular music? Or is there a good reason to avoid this type thing?
A: No, it is not a device commonly used in popular music. However, this technique is extremely common in other forms of music. There are no good reasons to avoid this technique, band musicians are still musicians. If a clarinetist can change tempo in an orchestra, a guitarist can change tempo in a song.
Q: Does it pose any particular problems for either the listener or the musicians who must play the song?
A: For the listener, they are a little confused at first (depending on the nature of the tempo shift) but unless you're doing it every two beats, which could be a little disorientating, the confusion quickly subsides as the listener then adds temporal shifts to their aural vocabulary about the piece. The next time you do it, it'll make sense to them.
For the musicians, really the only problem is making sure you all move at the same time, the same speed, and arrive at the same tempo. If you don't read music, learning and incorporating this technique will be more challenging, but you should all be able to do it just fine. I would start by practicing going between double time and half time and move on from there.
Q: Assuming the negatives aren't prohibitive - are there certain guidelines that should be adhered to in an effort to make this type change more effective or less disruptive (ie. try to use a multiple of 2 on your Bpm)?
A: Who cares about disruptive? Make your music interesting; if it's disruptive for them, that's their problem, not yours. As I said, I would practice double time -> half time, and then try different modulations. I would try (as a band) starting slow and then gradually playing faster, and then doing the reverse. I would purchase a metronome so you can all practice agreeing on tempi. I would also work out some sort of visual signal from whomever is the "leader" to everybody else so that you know when to start / stop speeding up or slowing down.
If you're doing really complicated temporal modulations, I'd recommend click-tracks you can place in your ears. Many 21st century musicians who play very complicated music use click-tracks to help make sure they play the rhythms correctly, stay in tempo, and not get lost."
https://music.stackexchange.com/questions/30536/is-it-acceptable-to-change-tempo-in-the-middle-of-a-song-or-is-this-a-bad-idea
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