Cut Time [SOLVED]

• Aug 28, 2016 - 23:12

[MuseScore version: 2.03]

Cut Time is not working as expected.

A usual Time Signature is 4/4. This is also known as Common Time, shown with a C.

2/4 is another Time Sig.

Cut Time SHOULD be used as a replacement for 2/4. It SHOULD read the notes as they are in 4/4 arrangement, but chop the duration of a note in half. For example, a Quarter Note in Cut Time should be an Eighth Note.

It isn't.

Cut Time is chopping the TEMPO in half, not the Duration of a note. 120 bpm is being played at 60 bpm with the same note durations.

Please see below MuseScore file.

Attachment Size
Cut_Time_Error_Test.mscz 7.89 KB

Comments

I am not quite understand what you mean about what "should" happen. Cut time is different from 2/4. 2/4 would have one half note (minim) per measure; 4/4 and cut time both have two half notes (minims) per measure. So there is no error here - your music is notated correctly.

If you are talking about the playback, note that you have specified a tempo of 120 *quarter* notes per minute, so that is what you get. If you want 120 *half* notes per minute, simply correct your tempo mark to read that way (use the F2 "special characters" palette to find the half note character), or delete it and re-enter a new tempo marking, from the palette or via Alt+T, with the half note already in place.

If you mean something else, please explain further what problem you are having and we will be able to help better.

Cut time, in today's notation, is actualy 2/2, not 2/4. Historically, the slashed C symbol also indicated 'alla breve' time, or 4/2, but in modern editions of current music it is more common for it to indicate a piece that should be played with two beats per measure, each beat being represented by a half note.

As a matter of fact, in modern editions, many publishers no longer use the slashed C to avoid misunderstandings. Numerical representations of time signatures are preferred. The old-style '3' and ¢ indications are only used in Urtext or historical reproductions, and often they are followed by a numerical time signature to ensure that the intent is clear.

Time sig illustration.png

You can, of course, create and save your own custom time signature, showing whatever symbol you wish with whatever underlying meter you specify.

Sorry, I forgot about it being equal to 2/2. However, the Cut time version and the 2/4 version should sound the exact same.

And they don't.

I didn't know you how to change the tempo marking to fit that. I'll try that, but it should still be the same 120 bpm.

What I want is it to be the same tempo as 4/4 120 bpm.

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