About time signature and beats per minute
Using common time (4/4) 60 BPM (beats per minute) indicate that there should be 60 crotchet beats (quarter notes) per minute. But 60 BPM in cut time (2/2, "Alla breve") indicate that there should be 60 half notes per minute (1 beat = 1 half note), and 60 BPM using 3/8 indicate 60 eight notes per minute (1 beat = 1 half note).
On the contrary, in MuseScore the beat is always referred as a quarter note: I'm right?
Best regards
Antonio
Comments
Yes, you'r right, MuseScore measures beats in terms of crotches
In reply to Yes, you'r right, MuseScore by Jojo-Schmitz
Well that is partially correct.
In the score MuseScore does recognise the differences between crotchet, minim and quaver beats, but the internal synthesiser, like all other MIDI devices I have known, counts bpm in crotchets. This is because the MIDI protocol defines the passage of time in ticks per quarter note.
I hope eventually MuseScore will automatically adjust the playback bpm to coincide with the defined time signature. The development team have other work to do first, however.
There is a known discrepancy with Cut Time where the actual time signature remains at 4/4 rather than 2/2 which I hope the development team are going to correct in the new (2.0) version due for release later this year (we hope).
HTH
Michael
In reply to Well that is partially by ChurchOrganist
Tempo Text too measures in crotchets
In reply to Tempo Text too measures in by Jojo-Schmitz
Indeed it does :)
Forgot that one - thanks for spotting it.
In reply to Indeed it does :) Forgot that by ChurchOrganist
Thanks for your explanations.
Antonio
Sorry, I just noticed this older post today, but I've had the same question on my mind for quite some time, as I've noticed the discrepancies, too. I'm now wondering how the next version of MuseScore will interpret and play back my existing .MSCZ files. For tempo text, I've been using the BPM rate indicated by MuseScore, e.g. 132 BPM, etc., instead of the traditional Italian markings. Will I need to change the text and/or the actual BPM rates in each score?
This gets a bit more confusing for me when I use compound time signatures. A piece in 12/8 time, for example, often has the feel of a piece that uses the dotted quarter note as the beat unit, with the beat subdivided into three eighth notes, much like 4/4 with triplets.
In reply to Re: BPM discrepancies - a late response by outskirter
The tempo is still stored as BMP with a beat = a quarter note in Musescore 2.0. So you wont't need to change anything in your score or habits in this regard.
In reply to The tempo is still stored as by [DELETED] 5
What a relief! Thanks for the info, lasconic!