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Arabic time signatures

Some Arabic and Turkish music classical forms such as Semai use unusual time signatures such as 10/8. This may lead to an automatic grouping of notes that is quite different from existing typeset music, where notes may not be grouped on the beat, but in a manner that is difficult to match by adjusting automatic beaming. You can override this by switching off automatic beaming and beaming the notes manually. Where matching existing typeset music is not an issue, you may still want to adjust the beaming behaviour and/or use compound time signatures.

Selected Snippets

Compound time signatures

Odd 20th century time signatures (such as "5/8") can often be played as compound time signatures (e.g. "3/8 + 2/8"), which combine two or more inequal metrics. LilyPond can make such music quite easy to read and play, by explicitly printing the compound time signatures and adapting the automatic beaming behavior. (Graphic measure grouping indications can also be added; see the appropriate snippet in this database.)

     
     #(define (compound-time one two num)
       (markup #:override '(baseline-skip . 0) #:number
        (#:line ((#:column (one num)) #:vcenter "+" (#:column (two num))))
       ))
     
     \relative {  
       \override Staff.TimeSignature #'stencil = #ly:text-interface::print
       \override Staff.TimeSignature #'text = #(compound-time "2" "3" "8")
       \time 5/8
       #(override-auto-beam-setting '(end 1 8 5 8) 1 4)
       c8 d e fis gis
       c8 fis, gis e d
       c8 d e4 gis8
     }

[image of music]

Arabic improvisation

For improvisations or taqasim which are temporarily free, the time signature can be omitted and \cadenzaOn can be used. Adjusting the accidental style might be required, since the absence of bar lines will cause the accidental to be marked only once. Here is an example of what could be the start of a hijaz improvisation:

     
     \include "arabic.ly"
     
     \relative sol' {
       \key re \kurd
       #(set-accidental-style 'forget)
       \cadenzaOn
       sol4 sol sol sol fad mib sol1 fad8 mib re4. r8 mib1 fad sol
     }

[image of music]

See also

Notation Reference: Manual beams, Automatic beams, Unmetered music, Automatic accidentals, Setting automatic beam behavior, Time signature.

Snippets: World music.

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