Irrational meter - why the mark of a triplet in 4 half notes












5















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...
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  • 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
    2 days ago






  • 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
    2 days ago






  • 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
    2 days ago






  • 3





    @Artelius -- a time signature is not a fraction, and irrational time signature has an entirely different meaning than irrational number.

    – David Bowling
    2 days ago






  • 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
    2 days ago
















5















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
enter image description here










share|improve this question




















  • 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
    2 days ago






  • 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
    2 days ago






  • 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
    2 days ago






  • 3





    @Artelius -- a time signature is not a fraction, and irrational time signature has an entirely different meaning than irrational number.

    – David Bowling
    2 days ago






  • 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
    2 days ago














5












5








5


1






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
enter image description here










share|improve this question
















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
enter image description here







notation time-signatures






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 2 days ago









guidot

5,8671035




5,8671035










asked 2 days ago









LoveIsHereLoveIsHere

559314




559314








  • 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
    2 days ago






  • 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
    2 days ago






  • 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
    2 days ago






  • 3





    @Artelius -- a time signature is not a fraction, and irrational time signature has an entirely different meaning than irrational number.

    – David Bowling
    2 days ago






  • 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
    2 days ago














  • 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
    2 days ago






  • 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
    2 days ago






  • 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
    2 days ago






  • 3





    @Artelius -- a time signature is not a fraction, and irrational time signature has an entirely different meaning than irrational number.

    – David Bowling
    2 days ago






  • 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
    2 days ago








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
2 days ago





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
2 days ago




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
2 days ago





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
2 days ago




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
2 days ago





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
2 days ago




3




3





@Artelius -- a time signature is not a fraction, and irrational time signature has an entirely different meaning than irrational number.

– David Bowling
2 days ago





@Artelius -- a time signature is not a fraction, and irrational time signature has an entirely different meaning than irrational number.

– David Bowling
2 days ago




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
2 days ago





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
2 days ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















4














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.






share|improve this answer































    4














    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.






    share|improve this answer
























    • 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
      2 days ago











    • “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
      2 days ago











    • @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
      2 days ago











    • Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.

      – leftaroundabout
      2 days ago











    • Ummm, no, that is a deviation from the actual note symbol which requires the "3" indicator. Why would you write 4/3 time and then go ahead and write some half-notes with a "3" over them? Other than composer-wanking, it serves no purpose.

      – Carl Witthoft
      2 days ago












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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    4














    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.






    share|improve this answer




























      4














      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.






      share|improve this answer


























        4












        4








        4







        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.






        share|improve this answer













        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.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 2 days ago









        guidotguidot

        5,8671035




        5,8671035























            4














            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.






            share|improve this answer
























            • 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
              2 days ago











            • “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
              2 days ago











            • @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
              2 days ago











            • Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.

              – leftaroundabout
              2 days ago











            • Ummm, no, that is a deviation from the actual note symbol which requires the "3" indicator. Why would you write 4/3 time and then go ahead and write some half-notes with a "3" over them? Other than composer-wanking, it serves no purpose.

              – Carl Witthoft
              2 days ago
















            4














            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.






            share|improve this answer
























            • 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
              2 days ago











            • “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
              2 days ago











            • @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
              2 days ago











            • Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.

              – leftaroundabout
              2 days ago











            • Ummm, no, that is a deviation from the actual note symbol which requires the "3" indicator. Why would you write 4/3 time and then go ahead and write some half-notes with a "3" over them? Other than composer-wanking, it serves no purpose.

              – Carl Witthoft
              2 days ago














            4












            4








            4







            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.






            share|improve this answer













            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.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 2 days ago









            Carl WitthoftCarl Witthoft

            9,00121330




            9,00121330













            • 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
              2 days ago











            • “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
              2 days ago











            • @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
              2 days ago











            • Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.

              – leftaroundabout
              2 days ago











            • Ummm, no, that is a deviation from the actual note symbol which requires the "3" indicator. Why would you write 4/3 time and then go ahead and write some half-notes with a "3" over them? Other than composer-wanking, it serves no purpose.

              – Carl Witthoft
              2 days ago



















            • 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
              2 days ago











            • “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
              2 days ago











            • @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
              2 days ago











            • Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.

              – leftaroundabout
              2 days ago











            • Ummm, no, that is a deviation from the actual note symbol which requires the "3" indicator. Why would you write 4/3 time and then go ahead and write some half-notes with a "3" over them? Other than composer-wanking, it serves no purpose.

              – Carl Witthoft
              2 days ago

















            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
            2 days ago





            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
            2 days ago













            “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
            2 days ago





            “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
            2 days ago













            @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
            2 days ago





            @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
            2 days ago













            Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.

            – leftaroundabout
            2 days ago





            Um, yes there are such symbols: tuplets.

            – leftaroundabout
            2 days ago













            Ummm, no, that is a deviation from the actual note symbol which requires the "3" indicator. Why would you write 4/3 time and then go ahead and write some half-notes with a "3" over them? Other than composer-wanking, it serves no purpose.

            – Carl Witthoft
            2 days ago





            Ummm, no, that is a deviation from the actual note symbol which requires the "3" indicator. Why would you write 4/3 time and then go ahead and write some half-notes with a "3" over them? Other than composer-wanking, it serves no purpose.

            – Carl Witthoft
            2 days ago


















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