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What is a clear way to write a bar that has an extra beat?

Lead sheets / fake sheets without scoreSources for sight-reading exercises that focus on subdivisions (emphasis on drums)Debussy: Reflets dans l'eau: Rhythm AmbiguityCounting a 16th note rhythm with breaksCorrect way of notating syncopationWhat is the most player-friendly way to write a note played through an entire bar of 13/8 time?Alternative or more advanced methods for counting rhythmsProper way to count beatsWhat can one do to understand time signatures?How does 'meter' differ from 'rhythm' in music?

9

If I have a simple 4/4 piece and at some point, for some reason, I delay the rhythm by 1 beat. How do I notate that particular irregularity on the staff?

I think having a bar with 5/4 without writing any extra notation would be really hard to read.

An example can be found in "Love Of My Life" by Queen. In this video it happens at 0:54.
If you count the whole verse 1, the piano part at 0:54 will sound off-beat and the verse 2 will start on beat 2 instead of 1.

notation rhythm

share|improve this question

edited Apr 5 at 3:33

AduyummY

10411

asked Apr 5 at 0:08

XandruXandru

533311

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It's done all the time in music. Go check out Stravinsky or Copland.
  
  – Carl Witthoft
  Apr 5 at 12:58
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

9

If I have a simple 4/4 piece and at some point, for some reason, I delay the rhythm by 1 beat. How do I notate that particular irregularity on the staff?

I think having a bar with 5/4 without writing any extra notation would be really hard to read.

An example can be found in "Love Of My Life" by Queen. In this video it happens at 0:54.
If you count the whole verse 1, the piano part at 0:54 will sound off-beat and the verse 2 will start on beat 2 instead of 1.

notation rhythm

share|improve this question

edited Apr 5 at 3:33

AduyummY

10411

asked Apr 5 at 0:08

XandruXandru

533311

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It's done all the time in music. Go check out Stravinsky or Copland.
  
  – Carl Witthoft
  Apr 5 at 12:58
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

If I have a simple 4/4 piece and at some point, for some reason, I delay the rhythm by 1 beat. How do I notate that particular irregularity on the staff?

I think having a bar with 5/4 without writing any extra notation would be really hard to read.

An example can be found in "Love Of My Life" by Queen. In this video it happens at 0:54.
If you count the whole verse 1, the piano part at 0:54 will sound off-beat and the verse 2 will start on beat 2 instead of 1.

notation rhythm

share|improve this question

edited Apr 5 at 3:33

AduyummY

10411

asked Apr 5 at 0:08

XandruXandru

533311

share|improve this question

edited Apr 5 at 3:33

AduyummY

10411

asked Apr 5 at 0:08

XandruXandru

533311

share|improve this question

edited Apr 5 at 3:33

AduyummY

10411

asked Apr 5 at 0:08

XandruXandru

533311

edited Apr 5 at 3:33

AduyummY

10411

edited Apr 5 at 3:33

AduyummY

10411

asked Apr 5 at 0:08

XandruXandru

533311

asked Apr 5 at 0:08

XandruXandru

533311

3 Answers
3

active

oldest

votes

29

If the music changes time signature, just write the new time signature:

You could also write a fermata over the beat in question and put a half-note above it to clarify the desired length, but this only makes sense if the extra beat can be understood as a pause.

share|improve this answer

answered Apr 5 at 0:13

repletereplete

4,2781429

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  In the Quenn example, the instrumental filling at 0:54 sounds like a 4/4 started on beat 2 of the voice, and the voice than starts on beat 1 of the instrumental, so you have one extra beat somewhere.. where?
  
  – Xandru
  Apr 5 at 0:21
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  MuseScore notation for the Queen song is found by Google. There's a bar in 3/4 at the point you mention. I tried to answer the question generally, as specific transcription questions tend to be closed.
  
  – replete
  Apr 5 at 0:30
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  When writing sheet music, you should want to make it as clear to the performer as possible what is going on. Not changing time signatures in this case would just be misleading. If you change time signatures in the piece (which is what is happening by adding an extra beat to one bar), then notate it appropriately. If its not a true beat, and the note is just held longer, as the answer says, a fermata is fine.
  
  – SaggingRufus
  Apr 5 at 10:41
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

7

You could also have a pickup measure at the start of your piece if that extra beat happens to be the first beat of your song. They look like:

Note also that if you do this, convention dictates that the last measure of the piece be shorter by the amount you added to the beginning (but recently, this convention's been on the decline in modern music).

share|improve this answer

edited Apr 5 at 6:22

answered Apr 5 at 4:45

user45266user45266

3,9651734

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I think the convention that you shorten the last bar by the length of the anacrusis is not followed so often in modern music.
  
  – Dekkadeci
  Apr 5 at 6:05
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Dekkadeci You're right. I just didn't think it was worth a mention, but I'll change it.
  
  – user45266
  Apr 5 at 6:21
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Coincidentally, I just ran across a video about Anacruses by Music Theory Guy. I agree with @Dekkadeci in that I rarely see the last bar shortened but I'm not experienced to know if that's proper or not.
  
  – JYelton
  Apr 5 at 18:02
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It seems right and proper to have the first and last bars of a piece adding up properly. They do when both are full bars, why not when there's an anacrucis. And if it's going to loop round, surely it must?
  
  – Tim
  2 days ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Tim which is probably why most songs I see with a pickup loop around to the bar AFTER the pickup
  
  – Aethenosity
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 1 more comment

2

There are also cases where composers choose to have no time signature at all, thereby suggesting that the number of beats per measure may vary. One example for that would be Samuel Barber's The Crucifixion, from Hermit Songs.

share|improve this answer

answered Apr 5 at 17:13

HirschHirsch

211

New contributor

Hirsch is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  How would a piece like that be counted in? - or conducted?
  
  – Tim
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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29

If the music changes time signature, just write the new time signature:

You could also write a fermata over the beat in question and put a half-note above it to clarify the desired length, but this only makes sense if the extra beat can be understood as a pause.

share|improve this answer

answered Apr 5 at 0:13

repletereplete

4,2781429

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  In the Quenn example, the instrumental filling at 0:54 sounds like a 4/4 started on beat 2 of the voice, and the voice than starts on beat 1 of the instrumental, so you have one extra beat somewhere.. where?
  
  – Xandru
  Apr 5 at 0:21
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  MuseScore notation for the Queen song is found by Google. There's a bar in 3/4 at the point you mention. I tried to answer the question generally, as specific transcription questions tend to be closed.
  
  – replete
  Apr 5 at 0:30
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  When writing sheet music, you should want to make it as clear to the performer as possible what is going on. Not changing time signatures in this case would just be misleading. If you change time signatures in the piece (which is what is happening by adding an extra beat to one bar), then notate it appropriately. If its not a true beat, and the note is just held longer, as the answer says, a fermata is fine.
  
  – SaggingRufus
  Apr 5 at 10:41
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

29

If the music changes time signature, just write the new time signature:

You could also write a fermata over the beat in question and put a half-note above it to clarify the desired length, but this only makes sense if the extra beat can be understood as a pause.

share|improve this answer

answered Apr 5 at 0:13

repletereplete

4,2781429

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  In the Quenn example, the instrumental filling at 0:54 sounds like a 4/4 started on beat 2 of the voice, and the voice than starts on beat 1 of the instrumental, so you have one extra beat somewhere.. where?
  
  – Xandru
  Apr 5 at 0:21
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  MuseScore notation for the Queen song is found by Google. There's a bar in 3/4 at the point you mention. I tried to answer the question generally, as specific transcription questions tend to be closed.
  
  – replete
  Apr 5 at 0:30
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  When writing sheet music, you should want to make it as clear to the performer as possible what is going on. Not changing time signatures in this case would just be misleading. If you change time signatures in the piece (which is what is happening by adding an extra beat to one bar), then notate it appropriately. If its not a true beat, and the note is just held longer, as the answer says, a fermata is fine.
  
  – SaggingRufus
  Apr 5 at 10:41
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

If the music changes time signature, just write the new time signature:

You could also write a fermata over the beat in question and put a half-note above it to clarify the desired length, but this only makes sense if the extra beat can be understood as a pause.

share|improve this answer

answered Apr 5 at 0:13

repletereplete

4,2781429

share|improve this answer

answered Apr 5 at 0:13

repletereplete

4,2781429

answered Apr 5 at 0:13

repletereplete

4,2781429

answered Apr 5 at 0:13

repletereplete

4,2781429

7

You could also have a pickup measure at the start of your piece if that extra beat happens to be the first beat of your song. They look like:

Note also that if you do this, convention dictates that the last measure of the piece be shorter by the amount you added to the beginning (but recently, this convention's been on the decline in modern music).

share|improve this answer

edited Apr 5 at 6:22

answered Apr 5 at 4:45

user45266user45266

3,9651734

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I think the convention that you shorten the last bar by the length of the anacrusis is not followed so often in modern music.
  
  – Dekkadeci
  Apr 5 at 6:05
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Dekkadeci You're right. I just didn't think it was worth a mention, but I'll change it.
  
  – user45266
  Apr 5 at 6:21
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Coincidentally, I just ran across a video about Anacruses by Music Theory Guy. I agree with @Dekkadeci in that I rarely see the last bar shortened but I'm not experienced to know if that's proper or not.
  
  – JYelton
  Apr 5 at 18:02
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It seems right and proper to have the first and last bars of a piece adding up properly. They do when both are full bars, why not when there's an anacrucis. And if it's going to loop round, surely it must?
  
  – Tim
  2 days ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Tim which is probably why most songs I see with a pickup loop around to the bar AFTER the pickup
  
  – Aethenosity
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 1 more comment

7

You could also have a pickup measure at the start of your piece if that extra beat happens to be the first beat of your song. They look like:

Note also that if you do this, convention dictates that the last measure of the piece be shorter by the amount you added to the beginning (but recently, this convention's been on the decline in modern music).

share|improve this answer

edited Apr 5 at 6:22

answered Apr 5 at 4:45

user45266user45266

3,9651734

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I think the convention that you shorten the last bar by the length of the anacrusis is not followed so often in modern music.
  
  – Dekkadeci
  Apr 5 at 6:05
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Dekkadeci You're right. I just didn't think it was worth a mention, but I'll change it.
  
  – user45266
  Apr 5 at 6:21
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Coincidentally, I just ran across a video about Anacruses by Music Theory Guy. I agree with @Dekkadeci in that I rarely see the last bar shortened but I'm not experienced to know if that's proper or not.
  
  – JYelton
  Apr 5 at 18:02
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It seems right and proper to have the first and last bars of a piece adding up properly. They do when both are full bars, why not when there's an anacrucis. And if it's going to loop round, surely it must?
  
  – Tim
  2 days ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @Tim which is probably why most songs I see with a pickup loop around to the bar AFTER the pickup
  
  – Aethenosity
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 1 more comment

You could also have a pickup measure at the start of your piece if that extra beat happens to be the first beat of your song. They look like:

Note also that if you do this, convention dictates that the last measure of the piece be shorter by the amount you added to the beginning (but recently, this convention's been on the decline in modern music).

share|improve this answer

edited Apr 5 at 6:22

answered Apr 5 at 4:45

user45266user45266

3,9651734

share|improve this answer

edited Apr 5 at 6:22

answered Apr 5 at 4:45

user45266user45266

3,9651734

answered Apr 5 at 4:45

user45266user45266

3,9651734

answered Apr 5 at 4:45

user45266user45266

3,9651734

2

There are also cases where composers choose to have no time signature at all, thereby suggesting that the number of beats per measure may vary. One example for that would be Samuel Barber's The Crucifixion, from Hermit Songs.

share|improve this answer

answered Apr 5 at 17:13

HirschHirsch

211

New contributor

Hirsch is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  How would a piece like that be counted in? - or conducted?
  
  – Tim
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

2

There are also cases where composers choose to have no time signature at all, thereby suggesting that the number of beats per measure may vary. One example for that would be Samuel Barber's The Crucifixion, from Hermit Songs.

share|improve this answer

answered Apr 5 at 17:13

HirschHirsch

211

New contributor

Hirsch is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  How would a piece like that be counted in? - or conducted?
  
  – Tim
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

There are also cases where composers choose to have no time signature at all, thereby suggesting that the number of beats per measure may vary. One example for that would be Samuel Barber's The Crucifixion, from Hermit Songs.

share|improve this answer

answered Apr 5 at 17:13

HirschHirsch

211

New contributor

Hirsch is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this answer

answered Apr 5 at 17:13

HirschHirsch

211

New contributor

Hirsch is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

answered Apr 5 at 17:13

HirschHirsch

211

New contributor

Hirsch is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

answered Apr 5 at 17:13

HirschHirsch

211