time signature

American  

noun

Music.

1. a numerical or other indication at the beginning of a piece showing the meter.

---

time signature British  

noun

1. music a sign usually consisting of two figures, one above the other, the upper figure representing the number of beats per bar and the lower one the time value of each beat. This sign is placed after the key signature at the outset of a piece or section of a piece

---

Etymology

Origin of time signature

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

time signature

From its 1974 debut album to 2015, when the band played a farewell show at the Forum, Rush was the standard-bearer for elaborate, multi-part songs full of falsetto hollers, time signature changes and drum solos.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2023

“That’s why this particular time signature and beat is selected for this song,” he said, referring to the rollicking 6/8 tempo.

From New York Times ● Feb. 21, 2023

But a typical Bacharach composition was rhythmically complex, often wrong-footing the listener with sudden changes of time signature and irregular phrasing.

From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2023

Things like dynamics, key signature, time signature, and a song’s overall structure can be taken in by an experienced musician almost intuitively.

From The Verge ● Nov. 18, 2020

You may have noticed that the time signature looks a little like a fraction in arithmetic.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones