Composite Time Signatures in Finale

In this video I explain all the "ins and outs" of working with COMPOSITE TIME SIGNATURES when typesetting music using Finale music notation software.

Composite time signatures are those time signatures for which a composer groups usually an asymmetric time signature into sub-groupings. For instance, a measure of 5/8 might be notated as 3/8 + 2/8.

Another very common use for the composite time signature settings in Finale is to indicate how you want Finale to BEAM groups of eighth notes (or 16th notes, etc.) in certain meters.

A related topic presented here is that of using a different time signature for display in the score than the composite used for beaming. An example would be using 7/8 for display, but 3/8+2/8+2/8 for beaming.

The music heard in this video is "Balkan Seven," by Scott Watson, published by Alfred Music. For more info, please visit www.scottwatsonmusic.com

Dr. Scott Watson teaches in the School of Music at Cairn University (Langhorne, PA). To investigate how YOU can unlock your musical talents at this Philadelphia-area Christian liberal arts university, please visit: https://cairn.edu/academics/music