3.4. Time signatures

Setting or changing the time signature is done with the time element. There are several alternatives to represent a time signature, but currently LDP only supports two:

• As two stacked numbers: top and bottom. For simple meters the bottom number represents the note that takes one beat, and the top number represents the number of beats in a measure. For compound meters the bottom number represents the note that takes one-third of a beat, and the top number represents the number of notes to make a beat.
• As a symbol: the common and cut time symbols.

time      ::=  {   (time [normal] topNum bottomNum [visible] [location] soAttachment*)
                 | (time common [visible] [location] soAttachment*)
                 | (time cut [visible] [location] soAttachment*) }
topNum    ::=  integer number
bottomNum ::=  integer number

Examples:

(score (vers 2.0) (instrument (musicData
    (time 2 4)(barline)
    (time 6 8)(barline)
    (time 12 8)(barline)
    (time 3 8)(barline)
    (time common)(barline)
    (time cut)(barline)
)))