time signature

American  

noun

Music.

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

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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

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Etymology

Origin of time signature

First recorded in 1870–75

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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

The time signature appears to shift and the scale drifts in and out of familiarity.

From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2023

Meanwhile, adding to the sense of crisis, albeit on a different time signature, Venice continues to sink as sea levels rise.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 22, 2022

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

Other pieces may have a written time signature, to help the musicians keep track of time, but the musical events in the piece do not give it an audible beat.

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

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