Re: Polymetric(?) time signature

[Aaron Hill]

On 2019-04-28 2:06 pm, Robert Kubosz wrote:
> Hello Lilyponders!
>
> I have a piece of music where measures have 4/4 time and 5/4 and it 
> looks
> like this:
>
> {
>   \time 4/4
>   c4 c c c
>   \time 5/4
>   c c c c c
>   \time 4/4
>   c c c c
>   \time 5/4
>   c c c c c
> }
> and the pattern goes on like that to the very end of piece.
>
> I have a question: can I declare the alternating time signature on the
> beginning of piece once so I don't have to declare it for every 
> measure? :

You could use a parallel voice that switches the time signatures using 
\repeat unfold and a suitable count.

Another option is to use a compound meter.  The only catch is that you 
will not get a bar line between the 4/4 and 5/4, as the compound meter 
treats each measure as the sum 4+5/4.

See the following for examples of both approaches:

%%%%
\version "2.19.82"

someMusic = \fixed c' {
  | c2 d4 c     f2 g4 f8 e d c
  | g2 a4 g     e8 f g a g2 e4
  | f4 g a b    g4 c' b c'2
}

\new Staff <<
  { \numericTimeSignature
    \repeat unfold 3 { \time 4/4 s4*4 \time 5/4 s4*5 } }
  { \someMusic }
> >

\new Staff { \compoundMeter #'((4 5 4)) \someMusic }
%%%%


-- Aaron Hill