Questions on Odd Note Values

I am writing a new composition and there are certain parts where dotting notes does not give me the desired note length, for instance, a note that spans 7 16th notes or 9 8th notes, is there any way to express these types of note values other than by tying notes? If so are there any composition softwares that let you make use of it?

A doubly-dotted quarter note is equal to 7 sixteenth notes in 4/4.

9 8th notes is a bit harder, I can't think of any single note to express that duration in 4/4.

I would just tie the notes, you don't want to confuse your musicians with some kind of esoteric notation.

I agree, dottted notes would be simpler. For example, 7 16th notes would be a dotted quarter tied to a 16th note. 9 8th notes would be a qhole note tied to an 8th note. Also, you can't write that as one note in 4 - 4. In general double-dotted notes are usually used to fill up all of a measure except for a short note value, e.g. doubly dotted quarter note and 1 untied 16th note to fill up a measure of 2 - 4 .

Good luck :sith:

i am well aware that you cant write 9 8th notes as one note in 4/4 but in 9/8 and several other timings you can

I can't think of any way to express 9 8ths.

Quarter Note = Two Eighths

Dotted Quarter = Three Eighths

Half Note = Four Eighths

Dotted Half = Six Eighths

Doubly Dotted Half = Seven Eighths

Whole Note = Eight Eighths

Dotted Whole Note = Twelve Eighths

Doubly Dotted Whole Note = Fourteen Eighths

Double Whole Note = Sixteen Eighths

Dotted Double Whole Note = Twenty-Four Eighths

Doubly Dotted Double Whole Note = Twenty-Eight Eighths

These all remain true in 9/8 as well, since the duration of the eighth note also changes.

The only thing I can think of is that a dotted half comprises nine eight tuplets. But those aren't truly eighth notes.

So, you could arguably say that in the time signature of 9/12, a dotted half would be equal to nine eighth. Though again, those aren't truly eighth notes, but eighth note tuplets.

maybe i should have phrased my last post differently, i know that in 4/4 9 8th notes is not possible to express in one measure, but since nobody seems to have a solution, i think that the best thing for me to do would be to tie an 8th notes to a whole note. thanks everyone

that is the best way to do it and easiest to read.

Well, technically there are always ways of expressing any duration by a single note/symbol, ranging from changing the tempo, over space notation, over a very specific use of fermatas (alongside performance notes), to inventing different symbols or simply writing "play this for the duration X" on top of it - the question is just how practical a specific way of notation is for a certain solution. In 90% of more or less traditional music, using ties is your best bet. Using ties will even be your best bet in lots of cases where a solution with dots would be possible. As ParanoidFreak said, even double dotted notes are generally only used in very specific rhythmic setups. Most performers (at least the ones coming from a "western" tradition) don't read note durations in the sense of "I'm going to hold this note for 13 sixteenths" - but in beats and divisions thereof, so ties are a very useful way of clarifying the division into beats and making your rhythms easier to read for said performers.

So the question of how to write a 9-unit duration best depends a lot on the rhythmical context it is in. Here's three times the same three notes with the same durations, notated in different time signatures:

You see that the first note, which is always 9 eighths long is split up differently in each example, to clarify the location of the beats in the measures.

Now, you also asked "is there any composition software that lets you make use of it": I'm not quite sure what you mean by that question. Do you mean "let's you notate it"? In that case, sure, Finale or Sibelius will let you notate most forms of uncommon notations of certain note durations, even if those are your self-invented notations. Or do you mean "are they able to play it back to me?", again, sure, for many forms of notation, but the traditional method with ties, as mentioned above, will still be your best bet.

It's a different question however if you are working with a sequencer. Those typically have a piano roll view which is the equivalent to space notation. Here, you won't have to use any ties, but can simply use a horizontal bar that is 9 units in length.