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Mixed time signatures

Once in a while, music is written with different time signatures on different staffs. Starting with Version 6.8, there is a printedtime parameter to do that, so this section is probably not really necessary anymore, but it provides an example of how to print things manually for the case where the time signatures reduce to the same value, for example, 3/4 and 6/8 time (since 6/8 taken as a fraction and reduced to lowest terms is 3/4). You can make the output use both 3/4 and 6/8 by using a non-printing time signature, then placing the time signatures manually. Here is an example of how to do that:

score
	// set time signature to 3/4 but don't print it
	time=3/4n
	staffs=2

staff 1
	// We want this staff to be in 3/4 time,
	// so beam things in groups of
	// quarter note times.
	beamstyle=4,4,4

staff 2
	// We want this staff to effectively be
	// in 6/8 time, so we'll beam things
	// in groups of dotted quarters.
	beamstyle=4., 4.
	// In real 6/8 time, the time unit would
	// be eighth note, so make that the default
	timeunit=8

music

// Add padding to the first chord on at least one
// of the staffs, to make room for the manually placed
// time signatures, and set location tags
1: [pad 5; =t] c; 8d; e; f; g;
2: [=s] g; f; g; 4.c;

// Manually place the time signatures
// They are printed in 16-point newcentury bold font,
// relative to the location tags that were set.
// First print the 3/4
print (t.w - 4, t.y) "\f(newcentury bold)\s(16)3"; 
print (t.w - 4, t.y - 4) "\f(newcentury bold)\s(16)4"; 

// Then print the 6/8
print (t.w - 4, s.y) "\f(newcentury bold)\s(16)6"; 
print (t.w - 4, s.y - 4) "\f(newcentury bold)\s(16)8"; 
bar

Picture of Mup output


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