How to Create a Local Time Signature

• Sep 11, 2020 - 01:36

I'm trying to add a local time signature, but it keeps saying 'Cannot add local time signature when the bar is not empty.' I cannot get rid of the full bar rest, so I cannot add a local time signature.


Comments

The problem is probably that another staff has notes in the same measure. It doesn't make sense but that causes a problem.

In reply to by mike320

I'm not sure if this is 100 per cent the right file, but the reason I need it is because the form of composition I'm creating is patchwork, where you create 4 melodies and stitch them together, but one of my melodies is 5 beats long. It states in the rules of the composition that you have to use each melody at least once for each instrument, and the empty space in drums is where I need the help.

Attachment Size
More_Jazz.mscz 19.57 KB

In reply to by stefanmitrev

Ok, I've read you last post closer and I'm going to assume the 5/4 time signature applies only to m 8 of the drum. If I'm wrong the procedure is still the same. To avoid other bugs and problems that can't be overcome, you need to follow these instructions.

Every measure on that staff in and after the measure you want to apply the local time signature must be empty. Select the measures and press delete if you have any doubts.

Apply the time signature to the measure you want by holding the ctrl key while you apply it.

You may enter notes into the measure(s) that need notes or wait until you enter the next time signature (I recommend waiting until the new time signature is entered).

Enter the original time signature where it starts again while holding the ctrl button again so you only get a time signature on that staff. Otherwise you get the time signature on every staff and that's not how it's normally done.

At this point you can put the notes back into any measures you deleted them from. You cannot copy from or paste into any measure affected by a local time signature. There is no way around this.

In reply to by stefanmitrev

Are you sure you really need a local time signature, then? You want the melody to have five beats and everyone else to only have four? Any reason to not simply use a quinteupl if that's the case? Or, if you want the accompaniment to also have five beats, that's not a local time signature at all, just a normal one.

In reply to by Marc Sabatella

The kind of composition I'm using is patchwork, which is where you use 4 set melodies and stitch them together. The rules are:
The final bar has to have every instrument play the same melody
1 instrument must be playing each bar
Every instrument must play every melody at least once.

You can see in the first bar for piano the melody I'm trying to incorporate into drums. I was going to change that to a local time signature too.

In reply to by stefanmitrev

It’s still not clear if you really
need a local time signature, though. To be clear: local time signature doesn’t mean it only last a few measures. It means one instrument has a different time signature that others, for the same measure. So, one instrument is in 4/4 at the same time another is in 3/4 or whatever. The measures will have the same length, so the tempo will be different for one instrument than others. Are you sure that’s what you mean?

If so, then tell us which measures you want to have a local time and for which instrument, and we can show you how to do it.

If you scroll down in the comment box, there is a place to choose or drag & drop the mscz file. Once we have that, I guess Mike or someone else will take a look at your score.

Do you still have an unanswered question? Please log in first to post your question.