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This is a measure from Yann Tiersen's "La Valse D'Amelie". The very first measure of this piece has a 2/4 time signature:

enter image description here

The rest of the measures are like below. Just counting the note values it's equal to 5 quarter notes on bass clef and 6 quarter notes on treble clef. I'm very confused about both how to read this measure and especially how to play the dotted half note.

  1. What's the time signature for this piece? It doesn't count to 4/4 or 2/4.
  2. How should the dotted half note A on the treble clef be played with others?

enter image description here

PS. It was suggested I check the post for "rest above a note", but that's doesn't answer any of questions I raised in this post.

phoog
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doubleE
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  • The duplicate explicitly addresses the left hand, and the right hand by implication. The time signature changes to 3/4, which, if not given in an earlier measure (probable m. 32), indicates the sheet you're using has an error. – Aaron Dec 12 '23 at 07:03
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    You may also find Duplicate / unison notes in piano sheets helpful. – Aaron Dec 12 '23 at 07:05
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    I've voted to reopen the question. The time signature confusion is a different question from the multiple voice confusion, and it does not deserve to be swept under the rug, metaphorically speaking, nor thrown out with the bath water. – phoog Dec 12 '23 at 07:46
  • @doubleE if you're counting 5 quarter notes in the first measure of the second image then it appears as though you've neglected to count the quarter rest. You've also counted the pairs of quarter notes that share a stem as one quarter note. Do you see the inconsistency in that approach? – phoog Dec 12 '23 at 07:48
  • @phoog The time signature question would run afoul of the "basic analysis questions" close reason. – Aaron Dec 12 '23 at 08:01
  • @phoog The piece changes time. Either the poster is overlooking the change or the music is wrongly notated. – PiedPiper Dec 12 '23 at 10:23
  • Note, this is a "valse," or waltz. Waltzes are normally in 3/4. Be aware that the time signature can change during a piece, so the one at the beginning might not be the only one. Look for a 3/4 somewhere after the beginning. And then, to the "five beats/six beats" confusion, see the proposed duplicate. – Andy Bonner Dec 12 '23 at 14:29
  • @Aaron it's not a basic analysis question; it's a notation question. – phoog Dec 13 '23 at 00:41
  • @PiedPiper yes that's correct, and the question deserves an answer explaining as much. – phoog Dec 13 '23 at 00:41
  • @phoog Thank you, yes you're right, I missed counting the quarter rest. – doubleE Dec 13 '23 at 04:52

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