reference.book Page 125 Monday, August 31, 2009 2:47 PM
2.13 Free rhythm
2.13 Free rhythm
Normal free rhythm For free rhythm in just one instrument, or in several where the rhythms align, create irregular bars of appropriate lengths (choose Create Bar Other, shortcut Alt+B or B) into which to put the music. Depending on the type of music, you can input the music in one long bar or in several shorter bars with invisible barlines. The latter has the advantage that the music can split at any of the invisible barlines, which will be required for a long cadenza that wouldn’t fit on one system. The downside is that the extra bars will upset the bar numbering, though you can correct this by putting an appropriate bar number change at the end ( 3.5 Bar numbers).
Independent free rhythms Sometimes instruments play completely independent rhythms at the same time, like this:
Notate this in the same way as described above, but choose one of the staves as the “fundamental” rhythm and input it first. Then add the other rhythms, but change their apparent speed using tuplets with a suitable ratio – i.e. choose None and switch off the Bracket in the Create Tuplet dialog (or change it retrospectively from the Notes panel of the Properties window). For example, in the music above the first three notes on the lower staff are in a hidden triplet, so as to fit against the first two notes on the upper staff. Sibelius will even play back the rhythms correctly, as if it were reading the spatial notation.
Music with multiple simultaneous time signatures ...or with barlines in different places on different staves: 2.33 Time signatures.
Plainchant To write plainchant, use irregular bars (choose Create Bar Other) of appropriate lengths ( 2.5 Bars and bar rests), and use stemless notes ( 2.25 Noteheads).
Recitative Use irregular bars (choose Create Bar Other) of appropriate lengths. For help on lyrics in recitative, 3.3 Lyrics.
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Notations
Music in free rhythm means that there are no time signatures (as in recitative, some avant garde music, or plainchant), or else the current time signature is ignored (as in a cadenza). Sometimes several instruments can play free rhythms at different speeds so that the notes don’t even line up, as in aleatory music.