Time signature styles

Dorico Pro allows you to show time signatures in a variety of styles. For example, you can show denominators as a number or as a note value.

You can change the style of all time signatures project-wide according to their type on the Time Signatures page in Engrave > Engraving Options, and you can change the style of individual time signatures independently of your project-wide settings.

The numerator is always one or more numbers, and can either show the total number of beats in the bar, or show how the total duration of the bar is subdivided.

Figure 1. Numerator in a 7/8 time signature shown as a single number
Figure 2. Numerator in a 7/8 time signature showing subdivisions

The denominator can appear as a number, as a note indicating the equivalent duration, or not appear at all.

Figure 3. Denominator shown as number
Figure 4. Denominator shown as notehead (beat length)
Figure 5. No denominator shown

If shown as a notehead, the denominator can either show the length of each beat in the bar, or the note duration for the bar. When showing the beat length, the numerator can also be changed. In the example, the numerator 6 in the 6/8 time signature becomes a 2 to reflect the two dotted quarter note beats that make up a 6/8 bar.

Figure 6. Denominator notehead showing the beat length of a 6/8 time signature
Figure 7. Denominator showing the note duration of a 6/8 time signature