X Time Sig

Dorico
1

I’m sure it must be here somewhere, but no search I’ve been able to come up with finds it:

How do I create the so-called X time signature to create an unmetered bar into which I can write a cadenza? If someone can point me to it, I’d appreciate it.

Thanks much.

2

Shift+M X Enter. There’s nothing more to it than that.

3

Tried that, Leo, but it only let me four quarter notes before going on to the next measure.

4

It sounds to me as though you’ve entered it as an independent time signature, in a passage that is already globally metered as 4/4. In this instance you either need to remove the existing 4/4 and add it again, or add a 4/4 globally at the same location as the independent X meter (and then hide if you don’t want it to be visible).

5

I entered it into a bar that had been part of a long section of 2/4 time. I’ll try your suggestion when I get home.

Thanks much.

[Edit] No, you’re right — it’s 4/4. I’ll fix it.

Thanks again.

6

Leo, any other suggestions? I can’t get anything to allow me more than 4 beats in that bar. I have removed the 4/4 signature before it, so that it defaulted back to the 2/4 signature before that, then put the X sig into the desired bar. But I still could only put 4 beats into the X bar. (And why, when the previous signature is now 2/4, does the X bar still accept 4 beats?)

Just to be sure I’m not misunderstanding terminology, when you reference a global time sig, you mean one that is put in for all the staves (using the Return key), and not the alt-return that is used to enter a time sig on just one staff?

I’ve looked through all my reference materials, and I can’t find anything that describes specifically the process you recommend, or any other specificity regarding the X signature.

And finally, just to further muddy the waters, when I activate the time sig signpost, none of my time signatures signposts appear. a) Am I doing something wrong, and b) could that have anything to do with my non-functioning X sig?

7

If you have this measure inserted in the middle of existing music, then you have to elongate it. Select the barline after the X and type the bar popover (shift-b) and then enter values such as 4w (four whole notes), or 3e (three eight notes) and the measure will magically lengthen. Should the measure be too long after you have entered the music, simply select the rest nearer to the end of your cadenza, insert a normal barline there, and delete the resulting empty bar with either the popover or the system track.