How is speed change notated











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This is a very beginner question as I am a complete beginner. How is change in speed during a song notated in standard notation? Is it done by changing the time signature for each measure that has a different speed? What if one measure has multiple different speeds? Do you have to write the tempo above each measure that has a different speed? Thank you in advance for your help. (If anyone knows a free site etc. where I can learn about writing standard notation, that would be greatly appreciated.)










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    It's a fairly impractical situation - music generally speaking, doesn't do what you suggest.
    – Tim
    Nov 19 at 16:44















up vote
7
down vote

favorite












This is a very beginner question as I am a complete beginner. How is change in speed during a song notated in standard notation? Is it done by changing the time signature for each measure that has a different speed? What if one measure has multiple different speeds? Do you have to write the tempo above each measure that has a different speed? Thank you in advance for your help. (If anyone knows a free site etc. where I can learn about writing standard notation, that would be greatly appreciated.)










share|improve this question


















  • 1




    It's a fairly impractical situation - music generally speaking, doesn't do what you suggest.
    – Tim
    Nov 19 at 16:44













up vote
7
down vote

favorite









up vote
7
down vote

favorite











This is a very beginner question as I am a complete beginner. How is change in speed during a song notated in standard notation? Is it done by changing the time signature for each measure that has a different speed? What if one measure has multiple different speeds? Do you have to write the tempo above each measure that has a different speed? Thank you in advance for your help. (If anyone knows a free site etc. where I can learn about writing standard notation, that would be greatly appreciated.)










share|improve this question













This is a very beginner question as I am a complete beginner. How is change in speed during a song notated in standard notation? Is it done by changing the time signature for each measure that has a different speed? What if one measure has multiple different speeds? Do you have to write the tempo above each measure that has a different speed? Thank you in advance for your help. (If anyone knows a free site etc. where I can learn about writing standard notation, that would be greatly appreciated.)







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asked Nov 19 at 7:56









コナーゲティ

543




543








  • 1




    It's a fairly impractical situation - music generally speaking, doesn't do what you suggest.
    – Tim
    Nov 19 at 16:44














  • 1




    It's a fairly impractical situation - music generally speaking, doesn't do what you suggest.
    – Tim
    Nov 19 at 16:44








1




1




It's a fairly impractical situation - music generally speaking, doesn't do what you suggest.
– Tim
Nov 19 at 16:44




It's a fairly impractical situation - music generally speaking, doesn't do what you suggest.
– Tim
Nov 19 at 16:44










4 Answers
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up vote
5
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When you're talking about speed, it's important to keep three concepts separated:




  1. the underlying pulse of the music. I.e., how much time passes between each quarter note, or in layman's terms, when you're tapping your foot to the music, how fast are you tapping? Changes in the pulse are notated as "acc." for "accelerando" (get faster) and "rit." for "ritardando" (get slower) when it's a gradual change. For a sudden change, you write the new speed above the measure where the tempo changes (either in beats per minute, or in one of the vague tempo terms like "moderato" or "presto").

  2. the values of the notes you're playing. If you're playing in 4/4, you can play one whole note per bar, or two half notes, or four quarters, or eight eighths... obviously, when you switch from a melody consisting of half and quarter notes to one of sixteenths, you have to play faster, even though the tempo doesn't change. You just have to write the appropriate note values. Likewise, unless you are in the realm of avantgarde music, you don't have more than one tempo simultaneously. You have one tempo, and if different instruments play shorter or longer notes, you just write the appropriate note values to match the tempo.

  3. the time signature - roughly speaking, how many beats in your given tempo do you play before the rhythmic structure repeats. This is not really related to speed. You could have a 3/4 time signature at 120 bpm, or a 4/4 at 120 bpm, and you'd play at exactly the same speed as long as the note values are the same. (It is common to write very fast-paced music as 2/2 rather than 4/4, but that's more a matter of conveying the feel than a mathematical necessity.)






share|improve this answer



















  • 1




    When talking about the "vague terms" for tempos, it's probably worth mentioning that these are often descriptive of the intended mood or effect, rather than a strict prescription of tempo, e.g. "andante" (walking pace) or "allegro" (lively). Particularly in solo performances, interpreting such directions is part of bringing character to a performance, so considering them as equivalent to a particular BPM would be a mistake.
    – IMSoP
    Nov 19 at 11:30


















up vote
3
down vote













A great beginner's question!



Several ways, and not usually by a change of tempo (bpm). Generally, each bar (measure) is the same length timewise, so faster notes will make it feel quicker; slower (longer) notes make it feel like it's slowed down.



There are signs which indicate speed change - accelerando, ritardando, rallentando being some. It's possible to go from, say, 4/4 to 3/4 making the latter shorter, but that's not particularly to make the music speed up.






share|improve this answer





















  • Thank you very much for you response. I'm still not quite sure how to do it, but your answer certainly has put me on track.
    – コナーゲティ
    Nov 19 at 8:33


















up vote
3
down vote














How is speed change notated?




Usually fairly imprecisely. The most precise way to notate it is with a metronome marking. If the change in speed is to be sudden, this is precise. However, if the speed is to change over a period of time, there is no way to be precise about it aside from using a word such as accelerando, rallentando, ritardando, or the like. These indications give no clue about the rate of change of the speed.



They are even ambiguous as to whether you reach the target speed smoothly, or just approach it or even bypass it and then adopt it suddenly. For example, consider the following:



X:1
K:C
M:4/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=80
cBAG|cBAG|[Q:"accelerando"]cBAG|cBAG|[Q:1/4=120]cBAG|cBAG|


The eight notes in measures 1 and 2 should each last for 0.75 seconds. The last eight should each last for 0.5 seconds. But there's nothing that precisely specifies the duration of any note in measures 3 and 4. One can conclude that each note should have a shorter duration than the one preceding it, but even that is a matter of interpretation. For example, the last note in measure 4 could be shorter than the first note in measure 5, or it could be maybe 0.7 seconds long, so the tempo would increase over measures 3 and 4 but still jump up at the beginning of measure 5.



Sometimes composers do "write out" a rallentando explicitly, with varying degrees of complexity. It's hardly unusual to see something like this:



X:2
K:C
M:4/4
L:1/4
CCGG|AAG2|F2F2|E2E2|D4|D4|C8|]


A modern classical composer might do something like this:



X:3
K:C
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=80
C2C2G2G2|A2A2G4|[M:7/8]F3F4|[M:5/8](E3E2)|[M:3/4]E6|[M:4/4]D8|[M:8/4]D16|(C16|C16)|]





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    Do you have to write the tempo above each measure that has a different speed?




    Yes




    What if one measure has multiple different speeds?




    Divide the measure into two, each with different time signature and tempo. Example) if 4/4 measure has the first quarter note with tempo 112 and the remaining 3 quarter notes with tempo 70, then have the following two measures.




    1. first measure with time signature 1/4 and tempo 112,

    2. second measure with time signature 3/4 and tempo 70,



    where I can learn about writing standard notation




    try here and here






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    • 1




      I honestly think it would be extremely difficult for most players to play what you suggest in 1 and 2. The main purpose of having bars that are of equal duration - like most music - is that it's practical to play. Establish a pulse, count, off you go. I'd challenge a lot of players to play something, cold, and be at 112bpm., let alone do that then change tempo to 70bpm! Whilst a lot of music is written with beats in the bar changes, there's usually a pulse running through different bars.
      – Tim
      Nov 19 at 16:43











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    4 Answers
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    up vote
    5
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    When you're talking about speed, it's important to keep three concepts separated:




    1. the underlying pulse of the music. I.e., how much time passes between each quarter note, or in layman's terms, when you're tapping your foot to the music, how fast are you tapping? Changes in the pulse are notated as "acc." for "accelerando" (get faster) and "rit." for "ritardando" (get slower) when it's a gradual change. For a sudden change, you write the new speed above the measure where the tempo changes (either in beats per minute, or in one of the vague tempo terms like "moderato" or "presto").

    2. the values of the notes you're playing. If you're playing in 4/4, you can play one whole note per bar, or two half notes, or four quarters, or eight eighths... obviously, when you switch from a melody consisting of half and quarter notes to one of sixteenths, you have to play faster, even though the tempo doesn't change. You just have to write the appropriate note values. Likewise, unless you are in the realm of avantgarde music, you don't have more than one tempo simultaneously. You have one tempo, and if different instruments play shorter or longer notes, you just write the appropriate note values to match the tempo.

    3. the time signature - roughly speaking, how many beats in your given tempo do you play before the rhythmic structure repeats. This is not really related to speed. You could have a 3/4 time signature at 120 bpm, or a 4/4 at 120 bpm, and you'd play at exactly the same speed as long as the note values are the same. (It is common to write very fast-paced music as 2/2 rather than 4/4, but that's more a matter of conveying the feel than a mathematical necessity.)






    share|improve this answer



















    • 1




      When talking about the "vague terms" for tempos, it's probably worth mentioning that these are often descriptive of the intended mood or effect, rather than a strict prescription of tempo, e.g. "andante" (walking pace) or "allegro" (lively). Particularly in solo performances, interpreting such directions is part of bringing character to a performance, so considering them as equivalent to a particular BPM would be a mistake.
      – IMSoP
      Nov 19 at 11:30















    up vote
    5
    down vote













    When you're talking about speed, it's important to keep three concepts separated:




    1. the underlying pulse of the music. I.e., how much time passes between each quarter note, or in layman's terms, when you're tapping your foot to the music, how fast are you tapping? Changes in the pulse are notated as "acc." for "accelerando" (get faster) and "rit." for "ritardando" (get slower) when it's a gradual change. For a sudden change, you write the new speed above the measure where the tempo changes (either in beats per minute, or in one of the vague tempo terms like "moderato" or "presto").

    2. the values of the notes you're playing. If you're playing in 4/4, you can play one whole note per bar, or two half notes, or four quarters, or eight eighths... obviously, when you switch from a melody consisting of half and quarter notes to one of sixteenths, you have to play faster, even though the tempo doesn't change. You just have to write the appropriate note values. Likewise, unless you are in the realm of avantgarde music, you don't have more than one tempo simultaneously. You have one tempo, and if different instruments play shorter or longer notes, you just write the appropriate note values to match the tempo.

    3. the time signature - roughly speaking, how many beats in your given tempo do you play before the rhythmic structure repeats. This is not really related to speed. You could have a 3/4 time signature at 120 bpm, or a 4/4 at 120 bpm, and you'd play at exactly the same speed as long as the note values are the same. (It is common to write very fast-paced music as 2/2 rather than 4/4, but that's more a matter of conveying the feel than a mathematical necessity.)






    share|improve this answer



















    • 1




      When talking about the "vague terms" for tempos, it's probably worth mentioning that these are often descriptive of the intended mood or effect, rather than a strict prescription of tempo, e.g. "andante" (walking pace) or "allegro" (lively). Particularly in solo performances, interpreting such directions is part of bringing character to a performance, so considering them as equivalent to a particular BPM would be a mistake.
      – IMSoP
      Nov 19 at 11:30













    up vote
    5
    down vote










    up vote
    5
    down vote









    When you're talking about speed, it's important to keep three concepts separated:




    1. the underlying pulse of the music. I.e., how much time passes between each quarter note, or in layman's terms, when you're tapping your foot to the music, how fast are you tapping? Changes in the pulse are notated as "acc." for "accelerando" (get faster) and "rit." for "ritardando" (get slower) when it's a gradual change. For a sudden change, you write the new speed above the measure where the tempo changes (either in beats per minute, or in one of the vague tempo terms like "moderato" or "presto").

    2. the values of the notes you're playing. If you're playing in 4/4, you can play one whole note per bar, or two half notes, or four quarters, or eight eighths... obviously, when you switch from a melody consisting of half and quarter notes to one of sixteenths, you have to play faster, even though the tempo doesn't change. You just have to write the appropriate note values. Likewise, unless you are in the realm of avantgarde music, you don't have more than one tempo simultaneously. You have one tempo, and if different instruments play shorter or longer notes, you just write the appropriate note values to match the tempo.

    3. the time signature - roughly speaking, how many beats in your given tempo do you play before the rhythmic structure repeats. This is not really related to speed. You could have a 3/4 time signature at 120 bpm, or a 4/4 at 120 bpm, and you'd play at exactly the same speed as long as the note values are the same. (It is common to write very fast-paced music as 2/2 rather than 4/4, but that's more a matter of conveying the feel than a mathematical necessity.)






    share|improve this answer














    When you're talking about speed, it's important to keep three concepts separated:




    1. the underlying pulse of the music. I.e., how much time passes between each quarter note, or in layman's terms, when you're tapping your foot to the music, how fast are you tapping? Changes in the pulse are notated as "acc." for "accelerando" (get faster) and "rit." for "ritardando" (get slower) when it's a gradual change. For a sudden change, you write the new speed above the measure where the tempo changes (either in beats per minute, or in one of the vague tempo terms like "moderato" or "presto").

    2. the values of the notes you're playing. If you're playing in 4/4, you can play one whole note per bar, or two half notes, or four quarters, or eight eighths... obviously, when you switch from a melody consisting of half and quarter notes to one of sixteenths, you have to play faster, even though the tempo doesn't change. You just have to write the appropriate note values. Likewise, unless you are in the realm of avantgarde music, you don't have more than one tempo simultaneously. You have one tempo, and if different instruments play shorter or longer notes, you just write the appropriate note values to match the tempo.

    3. the time signature - roughly speaking, how many beats in your given tempo do you play before the rhythmic structure repeats. This is not really related to speed. You could have a 3/4 time signature at 120 bpm, or a 4/4 at 120 bpm, and you'd play at exactly the same speed as long as the note values are the same. (It is common to write very fast-paced music as 2/2 rather than 4/4, but that's more a matter of conveying the feel than a mathematical necessity.)







    share|improve this answer














    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer








    edited Nov 19 at 11:51

























    answered Nov 19 at 10:44









    Richard Metzler

    5476




    5476








    • 1




      When talking about the "vague terms" for tempos, it's probably worth mentioning that these are often descriptive of the intended mood or effect, rather than a strict prescription of tempo, e.g. "andante" (walking pace) or "allegro" (lively). Particularly in solo performances, interpreting such directions is part of bringing character to a performance, so considering them as equivalent to a particular BPM would be a mistake.
      – IMSoP
      Nov 19 at 11:30














    • 1




      When talking about the "vague terms" for tempos, it's probably worth mentioning that these are often descriptive of the intended mood or effect, rather than a strict prescription of tempo, e.g. "andante" (walking pace) or "allegro" (lively). Particularly in solo performances, interpreting such directions is part of bringing character to a performance, so considering them as equivalent to a particular BPM would be a mistake.
      – IMSoP
      Nov 19 at 11:30








    1




    1




    When talking about the "vague terms" for tempos, it's probably worth mentioning that these are often descriptive of the intended mood or effect, rather than a strict prescription of tempo, e.g. "andante" (walking pace) or "allegro" (lively). Particularly in solo performances, interpreting such directions is part of bringing character to a performance, so considering them as equivalent to a particular BPM would be a mistake.
    – IMSoP
    Nov 19 at 11:30




    When talking about the "vague terms" for tempos, it's probably worth mentioning that these are often descriptive of the intended mood or effect, rather than a strict prescription of tempo, e.g. "andante" (walking pace) or "allegro" (lively). Particularly in solo performances, interpreting such directions is part of bringing character to a performance, so considering them as equivalent to a particular BPM would be a mistake.
    – IMSoP
    Nov 19 at 11:30










    up vote
    3
    down vote













    A great beginner's question!



    Several ways, and not usually by a change of tempo (bpm). Generally, each bar (measure) is the same length timewise, so faster notes will make it feel quicker; slower (longer) notes make it feel like it's slowed down.



    There are signs which indicate speed change - accelerando, ritardando, rallentando being some. It's possible to go from, say, 4/4 to 3/4 making the latter shorter, but that's not particularly to make the music speed up.






    share|improve this answer





















    • Thank you very much for you response. I'm still not quite sure how to do it, but your answer certainly has put me on track.
      – コナーゲティ
      Nov 19 at 8:33















    up vote
    3
    down vote













    A great beginner's question!



    Several ways, and not usually by a change of tempo (bpm). Generally, each bar (measure) is the same length timewise, so faster notes will make it feel quicker; slower (longer) notes make it feel like it's slowed down.



    There are signs which indicate speed change - accelerando, ritardando, rallentando being some. It's possible to go from, say, 4/4 to 3/4 making the latter shorter, but that's not particularly to make the music speed up.






    share|improve this answer





















    • Thank you very much for you response. I'm still not quite sure how to do it, but your answer certainly has put me on track.
      – コナーゲティ
      Nov 19 at 8:33













    up vote
    3
    down vote










    up vote
    3
    down vote









    A great beginner's question!



    Several ways, and not usually by a change of tempo (bpm). Generally, each bar (measure) is the same length timewise, so faster notes will make it feel quicker; slower (longer) notes make it feel like it's slowed down.



    There are signs which indicate speed change - accelerando, ritardando, rallentando being some. It's possible to go from, say, 4/4 to 3/4 making the latter shorter, but that's not particularly to make the music speed up.






    share|improve this answer












    A great beginner's question!



    Several ways, and not usually by a change of tempo (bpm). Generally, each bar (measure) is the same length timewise, so faster notes will make it feel quicker; slower (longer) notes make it feel like it's slowed down.



    There are signs which indicate speed change - accelerando, ritardando, rallentando being some. It's possible to go from, say, 4/4 to 3/4 making the latter shorter, but that's not particularly to make the music speed up.







    share|improve this answer












    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer










    answered Nov 19 at 8:04









    Tim

    94.2k1097239




    94.2k1097239












    • Thank you very much for you response. I'm still not quite sure how to do it, but your answer certainly has put me on track.
      – コナーゲティ
      Nov 19 at 8:33


















    • Thank you very much for you response. I'm still not quite sure how to do it, but your answer certainly has put me on track.
      – コナーゲティ
      Nov 19 at 8:33
















    Thank you very much for you response. I'm still not quite sure how to do it, but your answer certainly has put me on track.
    – コナーゲティ
    Nov 19 at 8:33




    Thank you very much for you response. I'm still not quite sure how to do it, but your answer certainly has put me on track.
    – コナーゲティ
    Nov 19 at 8:33










    up vote
    3
    down vote














    How is speed change notated?




    Usually fairly imprecisely. The most precise way to notate it is with a metronome marking. If the change in speed is to be sudden, this is precise. However, if the speed is to change over a period of time, there is no way to be precise about it aside from using a word such as accelerando, rallentando, ritardando, or the like. These indications give no clue about the rate of change of the speed.



    They are even ambiguous as to whether you reach the target speed smoothly, or just approach it or even bypass it and then adopt it suddenly. For example, consider the following:



    X:1
    K:C
    M:4/4
    L:1/4
    Q:1/4=80
    cBAG|cBAG|[Q:"accelerando"]cBAG|cBAG|[Q:1/4=120]cBAG|cBAG|


    The eight notes in measures 1 and 2 should each last for 0.75 seconds. The last eight should each last for 0.5 seconds. But there's nothing that precisely specifies the duration of any note in measures 3 and 4. One can conclude that each note should have a shorter duration than the one preceding it, but even that is a matter of interpretation. For example, the last note in measure 4 could be shorter than the first note in measure 5, or it could be maybe 0.7 seconds long, so the tempo would increase over measures 3 and 4 but still jump up at the beginning of measure 5.



    Sometimes composers do "write out" a rallentando explicitly, with varying degrees of complexity. It's hardly unusual to see something like this:



    X:2
    K:C
    M:4/4
    L:1/4
    CCGG|AAG2|F2F2|E2E2|D4|D4|C8|]


    A modern classical composer might do something like this:



    X:3
    K:C
    M:4/4
    L:1/8
    Q:1/4=80
    C2C2G2G2|A2A2G4|[M:7/8]F3F4|[M:5/8](E3E2)|[M:3/4]E6|[M:4/4]D8|[M:8/4]D16|(C16|C16)|]





    share|improve this answer



























      up vote
      3
      down vote














      How is speed change notated?




      Usually fairly imprecisely. The most precise way to notate it is with a metronome marking. If the change in speed is to be sudden, this is precise. However, if the speed is to change over a period of time, there is no way to be precise about it aside from using a word such as accelerando, rallentando, ritardando, or the like. These indications give no clue about the rate of change of the speed.



      They are even ambiguous as to whether you reach the target speed smoothly, or just approach it or even bypass it and then adopt it suddenly. For example, consider the following:



      X:1
      K:C
      M:4/4
      L:1/4
      Q:1/4=80
      cBAG|cBAG|[Q:"accelerando"]cBAG|cBAG|[Q:1/4=120]cBAG|cBAG|


      The eight notes in measures 1 and 2 should each last for 0.75 seconds. The last eight should each last for 0.5 seconds. But there's nothing that precisely specifies the duration of any note in measures 3 and 4. One can conclude that each note should have a shorter duration than the one preceding it, but even that is a matter of interpretation. For example, the last note in measure 4 could be shorter than the first note in measure 5, or it could be maybe 0.7 seconds long, so the tempo would increase over measures 3 and 4 but still jump up at the beginning of measure 5.



      Sometimes composers do "write out" a rallentando explicitly, with varying degrees of complexity. It's hardly unusual to see something like this:



      X:2
      K:C
      M:4/4
      L:1/4
      CCGG|AAG2|F2F2|E2E2|D4|D4|C8|]


      A modern classical composer might do something like this:



      X:3
      K:C
      M:4/4
      L:1/8
      Q:1/4=80
      C2C2G2G2|A2A2G4|[M:7/8]F3F4|[M:5/8](E3E2)|[M:3/4]E6|[M:4/4]D8|[M:8/4]D16|(C16|C16)|]





      share|improve this answer

























        up vote
        3
        down vote










        up vote
        3
        down vote










        How is speed change notated?




        Usually fairly imprecisely. The most precise way to notate it is with a metronome marking. If the change in speed is to be sudden, this is precise. However, if the speed is to change over a period of time, there is no way to be precise about it aside from using a word such as accelerando, rallentando, ritardando, or the like. These indications give no clue about the rate of change of the speed.



        They are even ambiguous as to whether you reach the target speed smoothly, or just approach it or even bypass it and then adopt it suddenly. For example, consider the following:



        X:1
        K:C
        M:4/4
        L:1/4
        Q:1/4=80
        cBAG|cBAG|[Q:"accelerando"]cBAG|cBAG|[Q:1/4=120]cBAG|cBAG|


        The eight notes in measures 1 and 2 should each last for 0.75 seconds. The last eight should each last for 0.5 seconds. But there's nothing that precisely specifies the duration of any note in measures 3 and 4. One can conclude that each note should have a shorter duration than the one preceding it, but even that is a matter of interpretation. For example, the last note in measure 4 could be shorter than the first note in measure 5, or it could be maybe 0.7 seconds long, so the tempo would increase over measures 3 and 4 but still jump up at the beginning of measure 5.



        Sometimes composers do "write out" a rallentando explicitly, with varying degrees of complexity. It's hardly unusual to see something like this:



        X:2
        K:C
        M:4/4
        L:1/4
        CCGG|AAG2|F2F2|E2E2|D4|D4|C8|]


        A modern classical composer might do something like this:



        X:3
        K:C
        M:4/4
        L:1/8
        Q:1/4=80
        C2C2G2G2|A2A2G4|[M:7/8]F3F4|[M:5/8](E3E2)|[M:3/4]E6|[M:4/4]D8|[M:8/4]D16|(C16|C16)|]





        share|improve this answer















        How is speed change notated?




        Usually fairly imprecisely. The most precise way to notate it is with a metronome marking. If the change in speed is to be sudden, this is precise. However, if the speed is to change over a period of time, there is no way to be precise about it aside from using a word such as accelerando, rallentando, ritardando, or the like. These indications give no clue about the rate of change of the speed.



        They are even ambiguous as to whether you reach the target speed smoothly, or just approach it or even bypass it and then adopt it suddenly. For example, consider the following:



        X:1
        K:C
        M:4/4
        L:1/4
        Q:1/4=80
        cBAG|cBAG|[Q:"accelerando"]cBAG|cBAG|[Q:1/4=120]cBAG|cBAG|


        The eight notes in measures 1 and 2 should each last for 0.75 seconds. The last eight should each last for 0.5 seconds. But there's nothing that precisely specifies the duration of any note in measures 3 and 4. One can conclude that each note should have a shorter duration than the one preceding it, but even that is a matter of interpretation. For example, the last note in measure 4 could be shorter than the first note in measure 5, or it could be maybe 0.7 seconds long, so the tempo would increase over measures 3 and 4 but still jump up at the beginning of measure 5.



        Sometimes composers do "write out" a rallentando explicitly, with varying degrees of complexity. It's hardly unusual to see something like this:



        X:2
        K:C
        M:4/4
        L:1/4
        CCGG|AAG2|F2F2|E2E2|D4|D4|C8|]


        A modern classical composer might do something like this:



        X:3
        K:C
        M:4/4
        L:1/8
        Q:1/4=80
        C2C2G2G2|A2A2G4|[M:7/8]F3F4|[M:5/8](E3E2)|[M:3/4]E6|[M:4/4]D8|[M:8/4]D16|(C16|C16)|]






        share|improve this answer














        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited Nov 19 at 20:27

























        answered Nov 19 at 20:21









        phoog

        37917




        37917






















            up vote
            0
            down vote














            Do you have to write the tempo above each measure that has a different speed?




            Yes




            What if one measure has multiple different speeds?




            Divide the measure into two, each with different time signature and tempo. Example) if 4/4 measure has the first quarter note with tempo 112 and the remaining 3 quarter notes with tempo 70, then have the following two measures.




            1. first measure with time signature 1/4 and tempo 112,

            2. second measure with time signature 3/4 and tempo 70,



            where I can learn about writing standard notation




            try here and here






            share|improve this answer

















            • 1




              I honestly think it would be extremely difficult for most players to play what you suggest in 1 and 2. The main purpose of having bars that are of equal duration - like most music - is that it's practical to play. Establish a pulse, count, off you go. I'd challenge a lot of players to play something, cold, and be at 112bpm., let alone do that then change tempo to 70bpm! Whilst a lot of music is written with beats in the bar changes, there's usually a pulse running through different bars.
              – Tim
              Nov 19 at 16:43















            up vote
            0
            down vote














            Do you have to write the tempo above each measure that has a different speed?




            Yes




            What if one measure has multiple different speeds?




            Divide the measure into two, each with different time signature and tempo. Example) if 4/4 measure has the first quarter note with tempo 112 and the remaining 3 quarter notes with tempo 70, then have the following two measures.




            1. first measure with time signature 1/4 and tempo 112,

            2. second measure with time signature 3/4 and tempo 70,



            where I can learn about writing standard notation




            try here and here






            share|improve this answer

















            • 1




              I honestly think it would be extremely difficult for most players to play what you suggest in 1 and 2. The main purpose of having bars that are of equal duration - like most music - is that it's practical to play. Establish a pulse, count, off you go. I'd challenge a lot of players to play something, cold, and be at 112bpm., let alone do that then change tempo to 70bpm! Whilst a lot of music is written with beats in the bar changes, there's usually a pulse running through different bars.
              – Tim
              Nov 19 at 16:43













            up vote
            0
            down vote










            up vote
            0
            down vote










            Do you have to write the tempo above each measure that has a different speed?




            Yes




            What if one measure has multiple different speeds?




            Divide the measure into two, each with different time signature and tempo. Example) if 4/4 measure has the first quarter note with tempo 112 and the remaining 3 quarter notes with tempo 70, then have the following two measures.




            1. first measure with time signature 1/4 and tempo 112,

            2. second measure with time signature 3/4 and tempo 70,



            where I can learn about writing standard notation




            try here and here






            share|improve this answer













            Do you have to write the tempo above each measure that has a different speed?




            Yes




            What if one measure has multiple different speeds?




            Divide the measure into two, each with different time signature and tempo. Example) if 4/4 measure has the first quarter note with tempo 112 and the remaining 3 quarter notes with tempo 70, then have the following two measures.




            1. first measure with time signature 1/4 and tempo 112,

            2. second measure with time signature 3/4 and tempo 70,



            where I can learn about writing standard notation




            try here and here







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered Nov 19 at 10:50









            Bruce

            2596




            2596








            • 1




              I honestly think it would be extremely difficult for most players to play what you suggest in 1 and 2. The main purpose of having bars that are of equal duration - like most music - is that it's practical to play. Establish a pulse, count, off you go. I'd challenge a lot of players to play something, cold, and be at 112bpm., let alone do that then change tempo to 70bpm! Whilst a lot of music is written with beats in the bar changes, there's usually a pulse running through different bars.
              – Tim
              Nov 19 at 16:43














            • 1




              I honestly think it would be extremely difficult for most players to play what you suggest in 1 and 2. The main purpose of having bars that are of equal duration - like most music - is that it's practical to play. Establish a pulse, count, off you go. I'd challenge a lot of players to play something, cold, and be at 112bpm., let alone do that then change tempo to 70bpm! Whilst a lot of music is written with beats in the bar changes, there's usually a pulse running through different bars.
              – Tim
              Nov 19 at 16:43








            1




            1




            I honestly think it would be extremely difficult for most players to play what you suggest in 1 and 2. The main purpose of having bars that are of equal duration - like most music - is that it's practical to play. Establish a pulse, count, off you go. I'd challenge a lot of players to play something, cold, and be at 112bpm., let alone do that then change tempo to 70bpm! Whilst a lot of music is written with beats in the bar changes, there's usually a pulse running through different bars.
            – Tim
            Nov 19 at 16:43




            I honestly think it would be extremely difficult for most players to play what you suggest in 1 and 2. The main purpose of having bars that are of equal duration - like most music - is that it's practical to play. Establish a pulse, count, off you go. I'd challenge a lot of players to play something, cold, and be at 112bpm., let alone do that then change tempo to 70bpm! Whilst a lot of music is written with beats in the bar changes, there's usually a pulse running through different bars.
            – Tim
            Nov 19 at 16:43


















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