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<a name="Arabic-time-signatures"></a>
Next: <a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="Arabic-music-example.html#Arabic-music-example">Arabic music example</a>,
Previous: <a rel="previous" accesskey="p" href="Arabic-key-signatures.html#Arabic-key-signatures">Arabic key signatures</a>,
Up: <a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="Arabic-music.html#Arabic-music">Arabic music</a>
<hr>
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<h5 class="unnumberedsubsubsec">Arabic time signatures</h5>
<p><a name="index-Arabic-time-signatures-2325"></a><a name="index-Semai-form-2326"></a><a name="index-taqasim-2327"></a>
Some Arabic and Turkish music classical forms such as
<var>Semai</var> use unusual time signatures such as 10/8. This
may lead to an automatic grouping of notes that is quite different
from existing typeset music, where notes may not be grouped on the
beat, but in a manner that is difficult to match by adjusting
automatic beaming. You can override this by switching off
automatic beaming and beaming the notes manually. Where matching
existing typeset music is not an issue, you may still want to
adjust the beaming behaviour and/or use compound time signatures.
<p class="noindent">
<h5 class="subsubheading">Selected Snippets</h5>
<p><em>Compound time signatures</em>
<p>Odd 20th century time signatures (such as "5/8") can often be played
as compound time signatures (e.g. "3/8 + 2/8"), which combine two or
more inequal metrics. LilyPond can make such music quite easy to read
and play, by explicitly printing the compound time signatures and
adapting the automatic beaming behavior. (Graphic measure grouping
indications can also be added; see the appropriate snippet in this
database.)
<blockquote>
<pre class="verbatim">
#(define (compound-time one two num)
(markup #:override '(baseline-skip . 0) #:number
(#:line ((#:column (one num)) #:vcenter "+" (#:column (two num))))
))
\relative {
\override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
\override Staff.TimeSignature #'text = #(compound-time "2" "3" "8")
\time 5/8
#(override-auto-beam-setting '(end 1 8 5 8) 1 4)
c8 d e fis gis
c8 fis, gis e d
c8 d e4 gis8
}
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../c1/lily-98ccf59d.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../c1/lily-98ccf59d.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p><em>Arabic improvisation</em>
<p>For improvisations or <em>taqasim</em> which are
temporarily free, the time signature can be omitted and
<code>\cadenzaOn</code> can be used. Adjusting the accidental style
might be required, since the absence of bar lines will cause the
accidental to be marked only once. Here is an example of what
could be the start of a <em>hijaz</em> improvisation:
<blockquote>
<pre class="verbatim">
\include "arabic.ly"
\relative sol' {
\key re \kurd
#(set-accidental-style 'forget)
\cadenzaOn
sol4 sol sol sol fad mib sol1 fad8 mib re4. r8 mib1 fad sol
}
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../33/lily-b714d6b7.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../33/lily-b714d6b7.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p class="noindent">
<h5 class="subsubheading">See also</h5>
<p class="indent">
<p>Notation Reference:
<a href="Manual-beams.html#Manual-beams">Manual beams</a>,
<a href="Automatic-beams.html#Automatic-beams">Automatic beams</a>,
<a href="Unmetered-music.html#Unmetered-music">Unmetered music</a>,
<a href="Automatic-accidentals.html#Automatic-accidentals">Automatic accidentals</a>,
<a href="Setting-automatic-beam-behavior.html#Setting-automatic-beam-behavior">Setting automatic beam behavior</a>,
<a href="Time-signature.html#Time-signature">Time signature</a>.
<p>Snippets:
<a href="../../../input/lsr/lilypond-snippets/World-music.html#World-music">World music</a>.
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Next: <a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="Arabic-music-example.html#Arabic-music-example">Arabic music example</a>,
Previous: <a rel="previous" accesskey="p" href="Arabic-key-signatures.html#Arabic-key-signatures">Arabic key signatures</a>,
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