Why in music do composers use certain time signaitures like 2/2 and 12/8?
The answer has to do with rhythms. It also has to do with cleaning up the page. 2/2 or cut time gets rid of one of the tails. It also changes the rhythm to greater pulse on certain beats. For example in cut time the heavier beats sound like the piece is written like 2/4 but the looks of it are not as black and easier to read when shrunk in size to fit on a lyre. For example The Great Gates of Kiev is written in 2/2. In anything over 8 you are dealing with a triplet rhythm. In 6/8 you could count it as 6 beats to the bar or in two using the method you use for counting triplets. Speed as noted in one of the other answers has nothing to do with the time signature. It is all about rhythm. You are asking about complex time signatures or odd meter time signatures. They can be counted in more than one way. Your conductor or teacher should tell you how to count it. That is to obtain a desired effect from the rhythm of the music. For example Memories from Cats, I have seen in 4/4 with all of th
