A Question on Rhythm

Hey everyone.

I was looking at this Mozart Clippet and, to analyse the parts individually I was copying it all into Sibelius.

The C with a line through it, I understand is Cut Time but how does that vary from 4/4? It sounds the excact same and when I wrote the piece into Sib I accidently left it in 4/4 but when I changed it to Cut-Time it didn't change the bars or anything. It's just stayed the same. Also, doing some research I found it means 2/2. But then, 2/2 is the same as 4/4 no? Because 2/2 has two minims per bar and so does 4/4, although it's measured by the 4 crotchets.

What am I missing? Lol.

Cheers!

Daryl

Edit: I was just thinking... Is it just to help determine the tempo of a piece? For instance, starting a piece in 4/4 and then, half way through, changing to cut time so the tempo has basically doubled?

4/4 vs. 2/2 simply determins the macro-beat of each bar. Fast music thats written with the half note as being a macro-beat in mind is usually written in 2/2. Same with quarter notes for 4/4. Often fast music that would look ugly in 4/4 is written in 2/2 to make it easier to read. But, unless you change the tempo markings, you won't *hear* any difference between the two.

4/4 vs. 2/2 simply determins the macro-beat of each bar. Fast music thats written with the half note as being a macro-beat in mind is usually written in 2/2. Same with quarter notes for 4/4. Often fast music that would look ugly in 4/4 is written in 2/2 to make it easier to read. But, unless you change the tempo markings, you won't *hear* any difference between the two.

Hey, thanks for the reply but what's a macro-beat?

Hadn't heard the term before, but here's a link to help: http://www.giml.org/mlt_lsa_rhythmcontent.php

Yeah it's more of a "feel" thing. Instead of 4/4, which reads sort of like 1 2 3 4, 2/2 comes off as 1 2.

I dunno. that's how I think of it.

Hadn't heard the term before, but here's a link to help: http://www.giml.org/mlt_lsa_rhythmcontent.php

Yeah it's more of a "feel" thing. Instead of 4/4, which reads sort of like 1 2 3 4, 2/2 comes off as 1 2.

I dunno. that's how I think of it.

I got it now, cheers guys!

Macro-beat would be the largest beat division used. You can easily just call it "The beat" but when you have sub-dividing that's complex, its easier to think of the larger beats vs. smaller beats.

It's all perception anyway.

I view cut time as a warning to the musician that all notes are only worth half the value as they appear. When you see a quarter, it becomes an eight, etc. It just helps to simplify the reading. If I wrote a 32nd note passage in 1 measure, it would be difficult to read, because there would be so many notes in one measure. If I, instead, wrote 16th notes in 2 measures of cut time, it would be far easier to read and much less confusing.

The difference I find is mostly in the conducting, but it does have a different feel, not so "4-ish"