Dual Time Signature

• Nov 13, 2020 - 12:21

Is it possible to have a dual time signature? For example, when a piece alternates between 6/4 and 3/2 and the composer puts both side by side at the beginning of the piece

Comments

• Nov 13, 2020 - 12:30

There is no built-in automated support.
But you can change the measure actual duration properties for each measure to make it so.

Reply

• Nov 13, 2020 - 14:36

For anyone looking in on this discussion. 6/4 and 3/2 measures are identical from a duration point of view, you can enter a dotted whole note into each. There is no need to change the measures duration in measure properties.

Dual time signatures like 6/4 and 4/4 are another story. If there is more than one staff, it is possible that instrument #1 is 4/4 in measure 1 while instrument #2 is 6/4. I recently transcribed a symphony that did this. In this case you must decide which time signature you want assigned to every measure. I chose the one that looked more common. For the other time signature, you will need to use tuplets to put the proper number of beats in a measure. For example, if you set the time signature to 6/4, you can usually make the whole rest a quadruplet to put 4 beats in it. On rare occasions you will need to break the measure down more. People think that using invisible local time signatures is a work around but they have too many limitations and bugs in my opinion.

Reply

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