Archive for the 'Theory' Category

Time Signatures are comprised of two numbers, one written above the other, and are used to indicate meter.¹ They should be written boldly and be immediately recognizable. Time signatures are not fractions, and thus should not be separated by the short horizontal line that is normally used with a numerical fraction. On a single staff the numerals are placed within the limits of the outer staff lines. In chamber, orchestra, band, and other music for large ensembles, one will often see an enlarged signature serving several staves in order to make it easier to read the meter changes in the score. When time signatures appear in the context of prose, there should be no line between the numbers if they appear vertically ().

In “simple time,” the top number indicates the number of beats in each measure while the bottom number indicates what note value receives one beat. In “compound time,” the top number indicates the division of the beat while the bottom number indicates the note value of the division. In compound time, therefore, the top number is the number of beats multiplied by three; in simple time, the top number may be any numeral. As the bottom number always refers to a note value, the only numerals that can be used are 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc. (referring to the whole note, half note, quarter note, eighth note, sixteenth note, thirty-second note, etc.). It is important that the time signature used represent the musical pulse, not merely the content of the bar.² A common mistake is to confuse(simple triple) with(compound duple), particularly when there is a temporary change of time with a value of the quarter note unchanged. For example, in the following the second bar is clearly intime:
(=over the meter change). Ifwere intended the correct notation would be:.

Time signatures are traditionally placed on each staff following the clef and key signature. If there is no key signature, the time signature should immediately follow the clef. When placed in the traditional position, the top number should occupy the top two spaces of the staff and the bottom number the bottom two spaces of the staff.

Contemporary practice has increased the number of time signature options available. Some of these include: larger time signatures may now be placed over several staves, the bottom number may be replaced by a note shape (e.g.,), meters may be combined to indicate either a fixed pattern of changing meters or a flexible alternation of simple and compound meters containing the same number of rhythmic units (e.g.,would mean that the measures alternate, freely or strictly, between the compound meterand the simple meter, compound time signatures consisting of more than one top number to indicate an unorthodox grouping of beats (e.g.,), different meters occurring simultaneously (polymeter), mixed meters made of unequal units grouped within the measure (e.g.,), and meters which include a fraction in the top number (e.g.,).

Time signatures should appear only when necessary — unlike clefs and key signatures they are not repeated at the beginning of every line of the score. When the meter changes over a system break, it is common practice to add a “cautionary” time signature at the end of the line preceding the change.

¹ Theas a time signature means “common time,” i.e.time. It has a long history, and until recently meant any kind of quadruple-time, simple or compound, such as,, or, butis its only meaning in recent years. Similarlymeans. The use offorand offoris now fairly common.

² For example,should not be used when the rhythm is clearly.