Irrational meter - why the mark of a triplet in 4 half notesNotation of triplets in Bach’s *Orgelbüchlein*Quintuplet over 3/16thHow does “triplet feel” for eighth notes affect non-eighth notes?How to notate triplets longer than 1 measure?Trouble Understanding TripletsConfusing rhythms/tuplets in Le Sacre du Printemps?How to play eighths (quavers) interspersed only with quarter notes (crotchets) in swing timeHow to clearly notate tuplets, both “simple” and “complex,” in irregular metersHow to write 2 crotchet (quarter note) triplets when they don't start on the down beat?How to describe occasional non-swing eighth notes using swing notation?Is the beaming of this score following a vocal practice or it is just outdated and obscuring the beat?
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Irrational meter - why the mark of a triplet in 4 half notes
Notation of triplets in Bach’s *Orgelbüchlein*Quintuplet over 3/16thHow does “triplet feel” for eighth notes affect non-eighth notes?How to notate triplets longer than 1 measure?Trouble Understanding TripletsConfusing rhythms/tuplets in Le Sacre du Printemps?How to play eighths (quavers) interspersed only with quarter notes (crotchets) in swing timeHow to clearly notate tuplets, both “simple” and “complex,” in irregular metersHow to write 2 crotchet (quarter note) triplets when they don't start on the down beat?How to describe occasional non-swing eighth notes using swing notation?Is the beaming of this score following a vocal practice or it is just outdated and obscuring the beat?
.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__bot-mid-leaderboard:empty margin-bottom:0;
Can someone please explain to me why the mark of a triplet in this 4 half notes? I understood how to play it but from what i read you can only write triplets on 3 notes like 3 eighths 3 quarters etc...
See picture
notation time-signatures tuplet
edited Jun 13 at 9:27
guidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
asked Mar 28 at 6:35
LoveIsHereLoveIsHere
5805 silver badges15 bronze badges
|
show 5 more comments
Can someone please explain to me why the mark of a triplet in this 4 half notes? I understood how to play it but from what i read you can only write triplets on 3 notes like 3 eighths 3 quarters etc...
See picture
notation time-signatures tuplet
edited Jun 13 at 9:27
guidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
asked Mar 28 at 6:35
LoveIsHereLoveIsHere
5805 silver badges15 bronze badges
2
There are whole, half, quarter etc. notes, but nothing that shows third. So, to me, the 4/3 time signature is somewhat pointless, as to show 'proper' notes, they need to have the 'triplet' sign. I reckon it could be written out in standard form and make more sense.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 7:48
1
Because there is no notehead shape that alone depicts 1/3 note. there's 1/2, 1/4,1/8, but no 1/3. Same reason as triplets themselves.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 8:11
1
I'm fairly certain that there are better ways to show what needs playing rather than use irrational meters. Judging by the question, I'm not alone.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 10:57
4
@Artelius -- a time signature is not a fraction, and irrational time signature has an entirely different meaning than irrational number.
– David Bowling
Mar 28 at 12:02
1
My comment was tongue in cheek. Music and mathematics go hand in hand, though, and I think this is somewhat of an unfortunate (dare I say, irrational?) terminology. Also, in my view a time signature is a fraction (but it is not just a fraction). As a fraction it indicates how many whole notes fit in a bar. Of course it has other, perhaps more important meanings.
– Artelius
Mar 28 at 12:48
|
show 5 more comments
Can someone please explain to me why the mark of a triplet in this 4 half notes? I understood how to play it but from what i read you can only write triplets on 3 notes like 3 eighths 3 quarters etc...
See picture
notation time-signatures tuplet
edited Jun 13 at 9:27
guidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
asked Mar 28 at 6:35
LoveIsHereLoveIsHere
5805 silver badges15 bronze badges
Can someone please explain to me why the mark of a triplet in this 4 half notes? I understood how to play it but from what i read you can only write triplets on 3 notes like 3 eighths 3 quarters etc...
See picture
notation time-signatures tuplet
notation time-signatures tuplet
edited Jun 13 at 9:27
guidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
asked Mar 28 at 6:35
LoveIsHereLoveIsHere
5805 silver badges15 bronze badges
edited Jun 13 at 9:27
guidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
asked Mar 28 at 6:35
LoveIsHereLoveIsHere
5805 silver badges15 bronze badges
edited Jun 13 at 9:27
guidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
edited Jun 13 at 9:27
guidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
edited Jun 13 at 9:27
guidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
asked Mar 28 at 6:35
LoveIsHereLoveIsHere
5805 silver badges15 bronze badges
asked Mar 28 at 6:35
LoveIsHereLoveIsHere
5805 silver badges15 bronze badges
asked Mar 28 at 6:35
LoveIsHereLoveIsHere
5805 silver badges15 bronze badges
5805 silver badges15 bronze badges
2
There are whole, half, quarter etc. notes, but nothing that shows third. So, to me, the 4/3 time signature is somewhat pointless, as to show 'proper' notes, they need to have the 'triplet' sign. I reckon it could be written out in standard form and make more sense.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 7:48
1
Because there is no notehead shape that alone depicts 1/3 note. there's 1/2, 1/4,1/8, but no 1/3. Same reason as triplets themselves.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 8:11
1
I'm fairly certain that there are better ways to show what needs playing rather than use irrational meters. Judging by the question, I'm not alone.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 10:57
4
@Artelius -- a time signature is not a fraction, and irrational time signature has an entirely different meaning than irrational number.
– David Bowling
Mar 28 at 12:02
1
My comment was tongue in cheek. Music and mathematics go hand in hand, though, and I think this is somewhat of an unfortunate (dare I say, irrational?) terminology. Also, in my view a time signature is a fraction (but it is not just a fraction). As a fraction it indicates how many whole notes fit in a bar. Of course it has other, perhaps more important meanings.
– Artelius
Mar 28 at 12:48
|
show 5 more comments
2
There are whole, half, quarter etc. notes, but nothing that shows third. So, to me, the 4/3 time signature is somewhat pointless, as to show 'proper' notes, they need to have the 'triplet' sign. I reckon it could be written out in standard form and make more sense.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 7:48
1
Because there is no notehead shape that alone depicts 1/3 note. there's 1/2, 1/4,1/8, but no 1/3. Same reason as triplets themselves.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 8:11
1
I'm fairly certain that there are better ways to show what needs playing rather than use irrational meters. Judging by the question, I'm not alone.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 10:57
4
@Artelius -- a time signature is not a fraction, and irrational time signature has an entirely different meaning than irrational number.
– David Bowling
Mar 28 at 12:02
1
My comment was tongue in cheek. Music and mathematics go hand in hand, though, and I think this is somewhat of an unfortunate (dare I say, irrational?) terminology. Also, in my view a time signature is a fraction (but it is not just a fraction). As a fraction it indicates how many whole notes fit in a bar. Of course it has other, perhaps more important meanings.
– Artelius
Mar 28 at 12:48
2
2
There are whole, half, quarter etc. notes, but nothing that shows third. So, to me, the 4/3 time signature is somewhat pointless, as to show 'proper' notes, they need to have the 'triplet' sign. I reckon it could be written out in standard form and make more sense.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 7:48
There are whole, half, quarter etc. notes, but nothing that shows third. So, to me, the 4/3 time signature is somewhat pointless, as to show 'proper' notes, they need to have the 'triplet' sign. I reckon it could be written out in standard form and make more sense.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 7:48
1
1
Because there is no notehead shape that alone depicts 1/3 note. there's 1/2, 1/4,1/8, but no 1/3. Same reason as triplets themselves.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 8:11
Because there is no notehead shape that alone depicts 1/3 note. there's 1/2, 1/4,1/8, but no 1/3. Same reason as triplets themselves.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 8:11
1
1
I'm fairly certain that there are better ways to show what needs playing rather than use irrational meters. Judging by the question, I'm not alone.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 10:57
I'm fairly certain that there are better ways to show what needs playing rather than use irrational meters. Judging by the question, I'm not alone.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 10:57
4
4
@Artelius -- a time signature is not a fraction, and irrational time signature has an entirely different meaning than irrational number.
– David Bowling
Mar 28 at 12:02
@Artelius -- a time signature is not a fraction, and irrational time signature has an entirely different meaning than irrational number.
– David Bowling
Mar 28 at 12:02
1
1
My comment was tongue in cheek. Music and mathematics go hand in hand, though, and I think this is somewhat of an unfortunate (dare I say, irrational?) terminology. Also, in my view a time signature is a fraction (but it is not just a fraction). As a fraction it indicates how many whole notes fit in a bar. Of course it has other, perhaps more important meanings.
– Artelius
Mar 28 at 12:48
My comment was tongue in cheek. Music and mathematics go hand in hand, though, and I think this is somewhat of an unfortunate (dare I say, irrational?) terminology. Also, in my view a time signature is a fraction (but it is not just a fraction). As a fraction it indicates how many whole notes fit in a bar. Of course it has other, perhaps more important meanings.
– Artelius
Mar 28 at 12:48
|
show 5 more comments
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
The problem is, that tuplet just means some note length modification takes place. Mathematically you require a standard fraction with numerator and denominator and there seem to be different opinions which of those to put into the tuplet bracket.
Wikipedia suggest under Tuplet Notation a full fraction representation in the form 2:3 for exotic cases, but I have never seen one.
So counting the note values and looking at the current time signature may be necessary for resolution.
answered Mar 28 at 9:30
guidotguidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
add a comment
|
To answer your last question: the use of 'triplet' indicator is allowable for any length note. It tells you to play the three marked notes so that each takes up 1/3 the meter-time that would have normally been covered by two of the notes in question. Thus, in quarter time meter, a one-beat triplet is written with eighth notes (normally two per quarter note), a two-beat triplet is written with quarter notes, etc.
The use of anything other than 2,4,8,16 as the denominator of the designated meter is highly discouraged, especially among those of us who have to perform the piece.
answered Mar 28 at 12:48
Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft
10.7k2 gold badges15 silver badges32 bronze badges
So if it was 6/5 time signature and there were 5 half notes i would but the number 5 benith the notes? Even if it does not makes sense :-)?
– LoveIsHere
Mar 28 at 13:39
“highly discouraged” – that seems a bit of a fogyish attitude, no? Normal odd time signatures like 5/4 were probably also highly discouraged at some point, but I'd argue that it's very much a good thing that they eventually become widespread for where it makes sense. Sure you could denote that all in 4/4 with silly incompletely meters, but with a 5/4 signature it can get more directly to the musical intention. I don't see why that would be fundamentally different with irrational signatures.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 15:16
@leftaroundabout It is different because there are no symbols for notes that have anything other than 2^(-k) duration. Thus no point in an N/3 time signature.
– Carl Witthoft
Mar 28 at 17:22
Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 17:23
1
For one thing, you can also have non-triplet (or other tuplets but 3) notes in such a bar. But even if you don't have them in the bar, it can be an effect to put single 4/3 bar in a piece in 4/4 – writing the same thing without an irrational signature would require two awkward tempo-change marks.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 19:16
|
show 1 more comment
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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oldest
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oldest
votes
The problem is, that tuplet just means some note length modification takes place. Mathematically you require a standard fraction with numerator and denominator and there seem to be different opinions which of those to put into the tuplet bracket.
Wikipedia suggest under Tuplet Notation a full fraction representation in the form 2:3 for exotic cases, but I have never seen one.
So counting the note values and looking at the current time signature may be necessary for resolution.
answered Mar 28 at 9:30
guidotguidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
add a comment
|
The problem is, that tuplet just means some note length modification takes place. Mathematically you require a standard fraction with numerator and denominator and there seem to be different opinions which of those to put into the tuplet bracket.
Wikipedia suggest under Tuplet Notation a full fraction representation in the form 2:3 for exotic cases, but I have never seen one.
So counting the note values and looking at the current time signature may be necessary for resolution.
answered Mar 28 at 9:30
guidotguidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
add a comment
|
The problem is, that tuplet just means some note length modification takes place. Mathematically you require a standard fraction with numerator and denominator and there seem to be different opinions which of those to put into the tuplet bracket.
Wikipedia suggest under Tuplet Notation a full fraction representation in the form 2:3 for exotic cases, but I have never seen one.
So counting the note values and looking at the current time signature may be necessary for resolution.
answered Mar 28 at 9:30
guidotguidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
The problem is, that tuplet just means some note length modification takes place. Mathematically you require a standard fraction with numerator and denominator and there seem to be different opinions which of those to put into the tuplet bracket.
Wikipedia suggest under Tuplet Notation a full fraction representation in the form 2:3 for exotic cases, but I have never seen one.
So counting the note values and looking at the current time signature may be necessary for resolution.
answered Mar 28 at 9:30
guidotguidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
answered Mar 28 at 9:30
guidotguidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
answered Mar 28 at 9:30
guidotguidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
answered Mar 28 at 9:30
guidotguidot
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
6,24712 silver badges35 bronze badges
add a comment
|
add a comment
|
To answer your last question: the use of 'triplet' indicator is allowable for any length note. It tells you to play the three marked notes so that each takes up 1/3 the meter-time that would have normally been covered by two of the notes in question. Thus, in quarter time meter, a one-beat triplet is written with eighth notes (normally two per quarter note), a two-beat triplet is written with quarter notes, etc.
The use of anything other than 2,4,8,16 as the denominator of the designated meter is highly discouraged, especially among those of us who have to perform the piece.
answered Mar 28 at 12:48
Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft
10.7k2 gold badges15 silver badges32 bronze badges
So if it was 6/5 time signature and there were 5 half notes i would but the number 5 benith the notes? Even if it does not makes sense :-)?
– LoveIsHere
Mar 28 at 13:39
“highly discouraged” – that seems a bit of a fogyish attitude, no? Normal odd time signatures like 5/4 were probably also highly discouraged at some point, but I'd argue that it's very much a good thing that they eventually become widespread for where it makes sense. Sure you could denote that all in 4/4 with silly incompletely meters, but with a 5/4 signature it can get more directly to the musical intention. I don't see why that would be fundamentally different with irrational signatures.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 15:16
@leftaroundabout It is different because there are no symbols for notes that have anything other than 2^(-k) duration. Thus no point in an N/3 time signature.
– Carl Witthoft
Mar 28 at 17:22
Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 17:23
1
For one thing, you can also have non-triplet (or other tuplets but 3) notes in such a bar. But even if you don't have them in the bar, it can be an effect to put single 4/3 bar in a piece in 4/4 – writing the same thing without an irrational signature would require two awkward tempo-change marks.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 19:16
|
show 1 more comment
To answer your last question: the use of 'triplet' indicator is allowable for any length note. It tells you to play the three marked notes so that each takes up 1/3 the meter-time that would have normally been covered by two of the notes in question. Thus, in quarter time meter, a one-beat triplet is written with eighth notes (normally two per quarter note), a two-beat triplet is written with quarter notes, etc.
The use of anything other than 2,4,8,16 as the denominator of the designated meter is highly discouraged, especially among those of us who have to perform the piece.
answered Mar 28 at 12:48
Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft
10.7k2 gold badges15 silver badges32 bronze badges
So if it was 6/5 time signature and there were 5 half notes i would but the number 5 benith the notes? Even if it does not makes sense :-)?
– LoveIsHere
Mar 28 at 13:39
“highly discouraged” – that seems a bit of a fogyish attitude, no? Normal odd time signatures like 5/4 were probably also highly discouraged at some point, but I'd argue that it's very much a good thing that they eventually become widespread for where it makes sense. Sure you could denote that all in 4/4 with silly incompletely meters, but with a 5/4 signature it can get more directly to the musical intention. I don't see why that would be fundamentally different with irrational signatures.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 15:16
@leftaroundabout It is different because there are no symbols for notes that have anything other than 2^(-k) duration. Thus no point in an N/3 time signature.
– Carl Witthoft
Mar 28 at 17:22
Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 17:23
1
For one thing, you can also have non-triplet (or other tuplets but 3) notes in such a bar. But even if you don't have them in the bar, it can be an effect to put single 4/3 bar in a piece in 4/4 – writing the same thing without an irrational signature would require two awkward tempo-change marks.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 19:16
|
show 1 more comment
To answer your last question: the use of 'triplet' indicator is allowable for any length note. It tells you to play the three marked notes so that each takes up 1/3 the meter-time that would have normally been covered by two of the notes in question. Thus, in quarter time meter, a one-beat triplet is written with eighth notes (normally two per quarter note), a two-beat triplet is written with quarter notes, etc.
The use of anything other than 2,4,8,16 as the denominator of the designated meter is highly discouraged, especially among those of us who have to perform the piece.
answered Mar 28 at 12:48
Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft
10.7k2 gold badges15 silver badges32 bronze badges
To answer your last question: the use of 'triplet' indicator is allowable for any length note. It tells you to play the three marked notes so that each takes up 1/3 the meter-time that would have normally been covered by two of the notes in question. Thus, in quarter time meter, a one-beat triplet is written with eighth notes (normally two per quarter note), a two-beat triplet is written with quarter notes, etc.
The use of anything other than 2,4,8,16 as the denominator of the designated meter is highly discouraged, especially among those of us who have to perform the piece.
answered Mar 28 at 12:48
Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft
10.7k2 gold badges15 silver badges32 bronze badges
answered Mar 28 at 12:48
Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft
10.7k2 gold badges15 silver badges32 bronze badges
answered Mar 28 at 12:48
Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft
10.7k2 gold badges15 silver badges32 bronze badges
answered Mar 28 at 12:48
Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft
10.7k2 gold badges15 silver badges32 bronze badges
10.7k2 gold badges15 silver badges32 bronze badges
So if it was 6/5 time signature and there were 5 half notes i would but the number 5 benith the notes? Even if it does not makes sense :-)?
– LoveIsHere
Mar 28 at 13:39
“highly discouraged” – that seems a bit of a fogyish attitude, no? Normal odd time signatures like 5/4 were probably also highly discouraged at some point, but I'd argue that it's very much a good thing that they eventually become widespread for where it makes sense. Sure you could denote that all in 4/4 with silly incompletely meters, but with a 5/4 signature it can get more directly to the musical intention. I don't see why that would be fundamentally different with irrational signatures.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 15:16
@leftaroundabout It is different because there are no symbols for notes that have anything other than 2^(-k) duration. Thus no point in an N/3 time signature.
– Carl Witthoft
Mar 28 at 17:22
Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 17:23
1
For one thing, you can also have non-triplet (or other tuplets but 3) notes in such a bar. But even if you don't have them in the bar, it can be an effect to put single 4/3 bar in a piece in 4/4 – writing the same thing without an irrational signature would require two awkward tempo-change marks.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 19:16
|
show 1 more comment
So if it was 6/5 time signature and there were 5 half notes i would but the number 5 benith the notes? Even if it does not makes sense :-)?
– LoveIsHere
Mar 28 at 13:39
“highly discouraged” – that seems a bit of a fogyish attitude, no? Normal odd time signatures like 5/4 were probably also highly discouraged at some point, but I'd argue that it's very much a good thing that they eventually become widespread for where it makes sense. Sure you could denote that all in 4/4 with silly incompletely meters, but with a 5/4 signature it can get more directly to the musical intention. I don't see why that would be fundamentally different with irrational signatures.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 15:16
@leftaroundabout It is different because there are no symbols for notes that have anything other than 2^(-k) duration. Thus no point in an N/3 time signature.
– Carl Witthoft
Mar 28 at 17:22
Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 17:23
1
For one thing, you can also have non-triplet (or other tuplets but 3) notes in such a bar. But even if you don't have them in the bar, it can be an effect to put single 4/3 bar in a piece in 4/4 – writing the same thing without an irrational signature would require two awkward tempo-change marks.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 19:16
So if it was 6/5 time signature and there were 5 half notes i would but the number 5 benith the notes? Even if it does not makes sense :-)?
– LoveIsHere
Mar 28 at 13:39
So if it was 6/5 time signature and there were 5 half notes i would but the number 5 benith the notes? Even if it does not makes sense :-)?
– LoveIsHere
Mar 28 at 13:39
“highly discouraged” – that seems a bit of a fogyish attitude, no? Normal odd time signatures like 5/4 were probably also highly discouraged at some point, but I'd argue that it's very much a good thing that they eventually become widespread for where it makes sense. Sure you could denote that all in 4/4 with silly incompletely meters, but with a 5/4 signature it can get more directly to the musical intention. I don't see why that would be fundamentally different with irrational signatures.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 15:16
“highly discouraged” – that seems a bit of a fogyish attitude, no? Normal odd time signatures like 5/4 were probably also highly discouraged at some point, but I'd argue that it's very much a good thing that they eventually become widespread for where it makes sense. Sure you could denote that all in 4/4 with silly incompletely meters, but with a 5/4 signature it can get more directly to the musical intention. I don't see why that would be fundamentally different with irrational signatures.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 15:16
@leftaroundabout It is different because there are no symbols for notes that have anything other than 2^(-k) duration. Thus no point in an N/3 time signature.
– Carl Witthoft
Mar 28 at 17:22
@leftaroundabout It is different because there are no symbols for notes that have anything other than 2^(-k) duration. Thus no point in an N/3 time signature.
– Carl Witthoft
Mar 28 at 17:22
Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 17:23
Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 17:23
1
1
For one thing, you can also have non-triplet (or other tuplets but 3) notes in such a bar. But even if you don't have them in the bar, it can be an effect to put single 4/3 bar in a piece in 4/4 – writing the same thing without an irrational signature would require two awkward tempo-change marks.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 19:16
For one thing, you can also have non-triplet (or other tuplets but 3) notes in such a bar. But even if you don't have them in the bar, it can be an effect to put single 4/3 bar in a piece in 4/4 – writing the same thing without an irrational signature would require two awkward tempo-change marks.
– leftaroundabout
Mar 28 at 19:16
|
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There are whole, half, quarter etc. notes, but nothing that shows third. So, to me, the 4/3 time signature is somewhat pointless, as to show 'proper' notes, they need to have the 'triplet' sign. I reckon it could be written out in standard form and make more sense.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 7:48
1
Because there is no notehead shape that alone depicts 1/3 note. there's 1/2, 1/4,1/8, but no 1/3. Same reason as triplets themselves.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 8:11
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I'm fairly certain that there are better ways to show what needs playing rather than use irrational meters. Judging by the question, I'm not alone.
– Tim
Mar 28 at 10:57
4
@Artelius -- a time signature is not a fraction, and irrational time signature has an entirely different meaning than irrational number.
– David Bowling
Mar 28 at 12:02
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My comment was tongue in cheek. Music and mathematics go hand in hand, though, and I think this is somewhat of an unfortunate (dare I say, irrational?) terminology. Also, in my view a time signature is a fraction (but it is not just a fraction). As a fraction it indicates how many whole notes fit in a bar. Of course it has other, perhaps more important meanings.
– Artelius
Mar 28 at 12:48