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<p>
<a name="Time-signature"></a>
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<hr>
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<h5 class="subsubsection">1.2.3.1 Time signature</h5>
<p><a name="index-time-signature-532"></a><a name="index-meter-533"></a><a name="index-g_t_005ctime-534"></a><a name="index-g_t_005ctime-535"></a>
<p>The time signature is set as follows:
<blockquote>
<pre class="verbatim">
\time 2/4 c2
\time 3/4 c2.
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../bb/lily-62089b99.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../bb/lily-62089b99.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a name="index-Time-signature_002c-visibility-of-536"></a>
Time signatures are printed at the beginning of a piece
and whenever the time signature changes. If a change takes place
at the end of a line a warning time signature sign is printed
there. This default behavior may be changed, see
<a href="Controlling-visibility-of-objects.html#Controlling-visibility-of-objects">Controlling visibility of objects</a>.
<blockquote>
<pre class="verbatim">
\time 2/4
c2 c
\break
c c
\break
\time 4/4
c c c c
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../76/lily-7c0fe696.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../76/lily-7c0fe696.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a name="index-g_t_005cnumericTimeSignature-537"></a><a name="index-g_t_005cnumericTimeSignature-538"></a>
<a name="index-g_t_005cdefaultTimeSignature-539"></a><a name="index-g_t_005cdefaultTimeSignature-540"></a>
<a name="index-time-signature-style-541"></a>
The time signature symbol that is used in 2/2 and 4/4 time can be
changed to a numeric style:
<blockquote>
<pre class="verbatim">
% Default style
\time 4/4 c1
\time 2/2 c1
% Change to numeric style
\numericTimeSignature
\time 4/4 c1
\time 2/2 c1
% Revert to default style
\defaultTimeSignature
\time 4/4 c1
\time 2/2 c1
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../0e/lily-4bed6b4c.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../0e/lily-4bed6b4c.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Ancient time signatures are covered in
<a href="Ancient-time-signatures.html#Ancient-time-signatures">Ancient time signatures</a>.
<p class="noindent">
<h5 class="subsubheading">Predefined commands</h5>
<p><code>\numericTimeSignature</code>,
<code>\defaultTimeSignature</code>.
<p class="noindent">
<h5 class="subsubheading">Selected Snippets</h5>
<!-- TODO Send as snippet called "setting measure and beat lengths" -->
<!-- when example is added -->
<p><code>\time</code> sets the properties <code>timeSignatureFraction</code>,
<code>beatLength</code>, and <code>measureLength</code> in the <code>Timing</code>
context, which is normally aliased to <code>Score</code>. Changing the
value of <code>timeSignatureFraction</code> causes the new time
signature symbol to be printed without changing the other
properties. The property <code>measureLength</code> determines where
bar lines should be inserted and, with <code>beatLength</code>, how
automatic beams should be generated.
<p>TODO Add example of using beatLength.
<!-- beatLength is broken - see bug 511 -->
<!-- End of snippet -->
<p><a name="index-measure-groupings-542"></a><a name="index-beats_002c-grouping-543"></a><a name="index-grouping-beats-544"></a><a name="index-measure-sub_002dgrouping-545"></a>
<!-- TODO Sent as snippet called "grouping beats" 25 Mar 08 -->
Options to group beats within a bar are available through the
Scheme function <code>set-time-signature</code>, which takes three
arguments: the number of beats, the beat length, and the internal
grouping of beats in the measure. If the
<a name="index-Measure_005fgrouping_005fengraver-546"></a><a href="../lilypond-internals/Measure_005fgrouping_005fengraver.html#Measure_005fgrouping_005fengraver">Measure_grouping_engraver</a> is included, the function
will also create <a name="index-MeasureGrouping-547"></a><a href="../lilypond-internals/MeasureGrouping.html#MeasureGrouping">MeasureGrouping</a> signs. Such signs
ease reading rhythmically complex modern music. In the example,
the 9/8 measure is subdivided in 2, 2, 2 and 3. This is passed to
<code>set-time-signature</code> as the third argument: <code>'(2 2 2 3)</code>:
<blockquote>
<pre class="verbatim">
\score {
\relative c'' {
#(set-time-signature 9 8 '(2 2 2 3))
g8[ g] d[ d] g[ g] a8[( bes g]) |
#(set-time-signature 5 8 '(3 2))
a4. g4
}
\layout {
\context {
\Staff
\consists "Measure_grouping_engraver"
}
}
}
</pre>
<p>
<a href="../df/lily-e933ff15.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../df/lily-e933ff15.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
</blockquote>
<!-- TODO End of snippet called "grouping beats" -->
<p><a name="index-compound-time-signatures-548"></a><a name="index-time-signature_002c-compound-549"></a>
<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="../0f/lily-0ef8d6dd.ly">
<img align="middle"
border="0" src="../0f/lily-0ef8d6dd.png" alt="[image of music]">
</a>
</p>
</blockquote>
<p class="noindent">
<h5 class="subsubheading">See also</h5>
<p class="indent">
<p>Music Glossary:
<a name="index-time-signature-550"></a><a href="../music-glossary/time-signature.html#time-signature">time signature</a>
<p>Notation Reference:
<a href="Ancient-time-signatures.html#Ancient-time-signatures">Ancient time signatures</a>,
<a href="Time-administration.html#Time-administration">Time administration</a>.
<p>Snippets:
<a href="../../../input/lsr/lilypond-snippets/Rhythms.html#Rhythms">Rhythms</a>.
<p>Internals Reference:
<a name="index-TimeSignature-551"></a><a href="../lilypond-internals/TimeSignature.html#TimeSignature">TimeSignature</a>,
<a name="index-Timing_005ftranslator-552"></a><a href="../lilypond-internals/Timing_005ftranslator.html#Timing_005ftranslator">Timing_translator</a>.
<p class="noindent">
<h5 class="subsubheading">Known issues and warnings</h5>
<p>Automatic beaming does not use the measure grouping specified with
<code>set-time-signature</code>.
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