Time Signature

[zbalz]

Ok I understand how the time signatures work and all but i was wondering what the actual use of them are other than when reading sheet music. Does it actually change the sound of the music or is just to make the sheet music look good.

-zbalz

[squierboy/tremonti]

from waht i know in reading drum music it makes the measure seem faster like for example
moving from 4/4 in a song to 2/2 usually meens to speed up for drumers.
from a slow to a fast scale

[StoneDragon]

If you keep in mind that the music came first and the time signature was developed to notate the music, then it stands to reason that different time signatures are used for notating different "rhythmic structures". Each rhythmic structure is going to have it's own "feel".

One of the easiest ways to verify this is to count the beats out-loud and clap your hands on the "1" of each measure.

4/4 = 1234 1234 1234 1234 etc

3/4 = 123 123 123 123 etc...

6/8 = 123456 123456 123456 123456 etc...

5/4 = 12345 12345 12345 12345 etc...

Then see if you can make up a riff or chord progression that follows that time signature.

Experiment.