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Multiple meters

Is there a way of writing one line in 9/8 and another in 3/4 and have the measures line up?  (in other words, triple against duple?)

Thanks,.

Tony

Re: Multiple meters

Reply #1 –
NWC cannot handle this scenario.

Re: Multiple meters

Reply #2 –
Yes, but it's messy.  NWC uses the same space for a quaver (eigth note) regardless of the time signature.

Write the 9/8 line normally.  For each beat in 3/4 you need to add another quaver.  This is easiest as a hidden quaver rest after the real crotchet (quarter note), either visible note or visible rest.

If you have quavers in 3/4, try this:

visible quaver + invisible semi-quaver (sixteenth note) + visible quaver + invisible semi-quaver.  Beam the visible quavers.

You can see the pattern - for each subdivision of the 3/4 beat, you need to add 50% more time, invisibly.  Add this extra time after the real note/rest, and things will line up nicely.

The result won't sound any good, but you can always mute the printing staves and add invisible sounding staves, all in 9/8 and simply add a dot to all the 3/4 notes rather than adding the 50% extra time.

Cheers,
Ewan
Canberra
 

Re: Multiple meters

Reply #3 –
I recently notated Fauré's Sonata in A major, and the fourth movement provides a good example of different meters in the same place. It had the violin part in 2/4 and the piano in 6/8. If you have NWC2, go to the Scriptorium and download the file to see how it's done.

HTH,

Daniel