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

Example Sentences

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

By “that” I meant the time signature changes, the instrumentation, and the unpredictable chords that allowed the melody to flow over them and carry the power of Warwick’s performance downstream.

From Washington Post • Feb. 10, 2023

As she sings, her vocals occupy a different time signature to the rhythm track, creating a destabilising dissonance that heightens the sense of unease.

From BBC • Feb. 1, 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

If a measure or group of measures has more or fewer beats, the time signature must change.

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