time signature

Cubase
1

Hello guys,
This is a question for those who really dig in musical problems. For me it is a mystery to understand this:

what I need:
wish to use a beat pattern (let’s say in GA), by default I think everything is in 4/4

What I do:
open a signature track, for a 7/8

What I get,
always a pattern in 4/4

My question:
In music, and in daw in particular, can I get a pattern that fit in a different signature? When I say “fit” I’m not talking of the recording between two bars… but a very “sound beat” like asymetrical

someone to understand this quest?

2

If your question is, if Cubase changes the pattern to different time signatures, depending on the time signature part, it is dropped on, then no, it doesn’t. If you want a 7/8 beat, you need to have a pattern that is in this time signature.

3

ok
very clear now.
this is exactly what I wanted to be sure.
thx

I think It works if I use the flexphraser, on 7 step…
but I have to understand the math that work with

4

If you’re talking about how Cubase handles the musical notation when you change from 4/4 to 7/8, Cubase will notate the time signature change correctly and adjust the bar-lines accordingly.

So, if you’ve recorded a four bar phrase, say, of 4/4 with 8 quavers in each bar and played it with the standard 4/4 beat stress of strong, weak, medium, weak then it will look (and sound) like this in Cubase (imagine the upper case letters are crotchets and the lower case letters tied quavers):-

4/4**|S W M W|S W M W|S W M W|S W M W||**

If you then shift this to 7/8 time, Cubase will notate the same phrase like this:-

7/8**|S W M w|w S W M|W S W m|m W S W|M W – -||**
However, note that the beat stress pattern hasn’t changed - Cubase won’t do that - so the recording will still sound like a phrase with a 4/4 rhythm when played back in isolation because the ear will follow the beat stresses.

If you want to hear a 7/8 rhythm then you need to not just set the time signature to 7/8 but also play your phrase with an appropriate beat stress (perhaps 4/8 + 3/8 or 3/8 + 4/8) when you record it.

Written time signatures and bar lines are only notational devices; the rhythm is determined by the beat stress you hear.

5

Oh my !!
I quickly read your answer. Looks to be the goal I’m looking for. I’m starting to work with a professional percusionniste, and for the moment it’s only a non-understanding about all these signature.
So I will focus all my next week, with your impulse, to work on this musical subject.
Thanks 1000 times

6

By the way, you only need to uses a Signature Track if you are changing it during the piece. If the signature is the same throughout the piece then you can just set it in the Transport.