Hello everyone. It can often happen that I need to display a time signature different from real time (for example, I’m in 4/4 but want to display 12/8). Is this possible? Thanks for the feedback.

OK, so the basic principle for fake (pickup) time signatures in Dorico is to add a comma after the time signature, followed by a number that corresponds to the number of occurrences of the denominator’s note value in the bar (which means a number that actually overrides/replaces the top value). A bi…

Hi, Yes it’s possible. You’ll find the explanations e.g. in these threads: [image] Different meters in different staves at different measures Dorico Is there a way to create measures in a single (or multiple) staff with a different meter, but still aligns wit…

Buona sera, Giovanni I’m supplementing Charles’s information by sharing this article with you; although it dates from 2017, it’s still relevant today (see the Bach map on the page). It’s a bit rough around the edges when it comes to displaying the different times signature, but it works. Scoring n…

Hi Charles, and thank you for the feedback. The post you referenced refers to polyrhythm, meaning that some instruments have one tempo and others have another. I’m also referring to a single instrument that has a set tempo (for example, 4/4), and in each measure I can write all four quarter notes,…

[image] Giovanni_Lucibello: I’m also referring to a single instrument that has a set tempo (for example, 4/4), and in each measure I can write all four quarter notes, but it displays a different time signature (for example, 3/4). Forgive me, but I think you misunderstand the purpose of time s…

[image] Giovanni_Lucibello: a single instrument that has a set tempo (for example, 4/4), and in each measure I can write all four quarter notes, but it displays a different time signature (for example, 3/4). I’m not sure I understand… You don’t mean this, do you? [image] If you can give a…

[image] Giovanni_Lucibello: I’m in 4/4 but want to display 12/8 Essentially, you need to create a “pickup” bar of 12/8 that has 8 beats (so you get 4 quarters, but 12/8 displayed); and then hide a 4/4 signature in bar 2. Obviously, in this instance, you’ll need to force the note durations an…

Yes, exactly, that’s what I’m asking. How do I go about achieving this result?

Are you sure you’re not talking about tuplets? [image] Tuplets make sense, but the example I gave before doesn’t!

It may be what you want, but @charles_piano ’s answer is musically meaningless (and would totally confuse to any player).

[image] charles_piano: [image] I don’t know how others truly feel about this but on the rare occasion that we found such atrocities in organ literature when I was an undergrad, we treated them as errant time signatures and ignored them (i.e., the 3/4) because they didn’t make sense. Even ou…

Is it possible to display a time signature different from the actual one?

Dorico

charles_piano May 7, 2026, 4:45pm 2

Hi,

Yes it’s possible. You’ll find the explanations e.g. in these threads:

Feel free to share a screenshot of what you’re trying to achieve if you’d like more specific advice.