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CarlosAndres
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Time signatures
« on: Nov 26th, 2025, 11:02am » |
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Hello. I want to write this score which has the peculiarity of having staves with different time signatures simultaneously. How can I do it? 
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ANdre_B
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Re: Time signatures
« Reply #1 on: Nov 26th, 2025, 11:49am » |
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Formally, it cannot... since it should not mean anything sensible.
There can be some workarounds, which could be acceptable when the TS' would be somehow compatible. And alternatives in some cases.
Different Time Signatures may also mean different tempo's (tempi?).
To allow us to be positive (and perhaps creative), would you join a written example of something you would like to get?
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André Baeck, de retour en Belgique après 12 ans passés dans le Gard.
Windows 11, HA 999 (et précédents)
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CarlosAndres
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Thank you for the replies. I've attached an image of what I want to achieve.
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ANdre_B
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Re: Time signatures
« Reply #4 on: Nov 26th, 2025, 4:16pm » |
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Carlos,
"Engraved" scores do not face the implementation rules made necessary by music editing software.
What you should decide upon, is your priority:
1. you want a computer score which resembles like twins to the original one; then, do you care that the program plays it correctly, or do you just want to print the result?
2; you want a computer score which plays the original music, even if it alters the look of the score? Has it a value that the score would be easier to read and understand by nowaday's musicians? by training musicians?
My own priority would definitely be the second one. So, I would not hesitate to select a single time signature, taking into account:
- the second and third staves' signatures are practically the same; except for some theoreticians, 12:8 would fit for both (without any change to the notes), and is quite common even with the presence of 16th notes.
ntat
- the first staff (and some bars within the other two, which might actually be 4:4, considering the double time signatures) can easily be made to fit a 12:8, by simply dotting all notes and rests.
If your priority is more like the first option, you would need
- an internal time signature of 4:4
- some graphic only representation of the other signatures
- have the notes be actual triplets with a hidden 3.
Since I haven't done it, and wouldn't, I cannot advise more that just these general lines.
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André Baeck, de retour en Belgique après 12 ans passés dans le Gard.
Windows 11, HA 999 (et précédents)
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bubu42
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I gave it a try... I kept the C time as a base, and used tuplets on the second and third staves where I added text elements to the clefs (Stoccata 78 pt) to display the numbers. The size of the clef changes can be adjusted (I used 80%) I added a brace to join the first two staves and a "no symbol" junction between staves #2 and #3. Here is what it looks like.
By the way, it plays fine !
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| « Last Edit: Nov 26th, 2025, 5:11pm by bubu42 » |
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Harmony Assistant 32 bits - Ubuntu + Wine et Windows XP sur machine virtuelle. VS, OMeR, PDF2M
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