Time signature before the repeat barline?
So I've been having this problem recently where the time signatures put themselves before the repeating barline rather than after. It's perfectly alright with all the other barlines, double, single, stuff like that, but it's strictly the repeat barline. I've checked Style settings, I've checked properties of both the barline and the time signature. I'm just wondering what needs to be done to fix it?
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Comments
It's quite likely that the placing of the time signature before a start repeat barline is deliberate.
![Placing_of_time_signatures.png]( "Placing_of_time_signatures.png")
Let's use an example:
The original developers of MuseScore used Elaine Gould's notation handbook Behind Bars as a guide to how the software should handle layout.
For the time signature change at letter A above, the layout rule is described on page 234 of Behind Bars :
![Time_signature_placing_p.234.png]( "Time_signature_placing_p.234.png")
For the time signature change at letter B above, the (contradictory) layout rule is described on page 152 of Behind Bars :
![Time_signature_placing_p.152.png]( "Time_signature_placing_p.152.png")
I'm usually a strong supporter of Behind Bars, but on this occasion I see more logic in placing the time signature after the start-repeat barline. But I'm only a self-taught amateur. What do professional musicians think?
In reply to It's quite likely that the… by DanielR
The time signature indicates that the meter has changed. If it does not change within the repeated section then it is unchanged next time round (obviously!). Everything between repeat barlines is repeated (again, obviously). If the time signature does not change it doesn't need to be restated to the player by putting it within the repeat. Putting it before the start repeat bar line is logical and putting it after the barline could be confusing - player thinks "I see a time signature, but surely I was already playing in 2/4, or did I miss a time signature change earlier".
In reply to The time signature indicates… by SteveBlower
"If it does not change within the repeated section then it is unchanged next time round (obviously!)"
Agreed.
But my musical example did have a change of time signature within the repeat section, because that is the specific case where it seems more logical to have the time signature change after the start-repeat barline.
In reply to "If it does not change… by DanielR
Yes, if there is a change within the repeated section, there must be a time signature after the open repeat and such cases are described by Gould. But such a case was not shown or mentioned by the OP.