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Complex time signatures: Difference between revisions

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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.
Odd time signatures (such as “5/8”) can often be played as complex 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.
LilyPond can make such music quite easy to read and play, by explicitly printing the time signatures and adapting the automatic beaming behavior.


<lilypond version="2.24.0">
<lilypond version="2.24">
\relative c' {
\relative c' {
   \compoundMeter #'((2 8) (3 8))
   \compoundMeter #'((2 8) (3 8))
Line 12: Line 12:
</lilypond>
</lilypond>


[[Category:Included in the official documentation]]
[[Category:Rhythms]]
[[Category:Rhythms]]
[[Category:Included in the official documentation]]
[[Category:Snippet]]

Latest revision as of 12:30, 9 January 2026

Odd time signatures (such as “5/8”) can often be played as complex 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 time signatures and adapting the automatic beaming behavior.

\version "2.24"

\relative c' {
  \compoundMeter #'((2 8) (3 8))
  c8 d e fis gis
  c8 fis, gis e d
  c8 d e4 gis8
}