Here is what I do for the situation you outline.  However, I must preface
this by saying that the handwritten notation is much more effective because
it draws attention to itself.

I learned this many years ago from Dr. Charlene Archibeque, at that time
(perhaps still) Director of Choral Music at San Jose State University.  My
impression at the time that this was in common usage and just new to me.
I had never seen it before.  Now I use it constantly.

Use hash marks such as /////.  The longest hash mark goes over the first
beat of the measure.  If the music is in triple meter then use shorter hash
marks to indicate beats 2 and 3.  If the meter is in 4 then use a medium
length hash mark over beat three.  This clearly shows the relative strength
of the beat pattern and where the beat occurs.  What you are doing is
marking the tactus.  This is especially useful in complex syncopations

You will need to generate these as note attached expressions or
articulations if you want them printed in the score.

When I encounter problems in reading rhythms either for myself or my
ensembles the first thing I do is write these hash marks into my score.  If
a particular player or section is having rhythmic difficulty then I will
mark the section leader's part with soft lead pencil in BIG marks so they
can easily see and read them, then ask that person to assure that all the
parts are marked the same way.

Marking in pencil on the necessary measures assures that a particularly
tricky spot will get attention.

I hope this helps.

Guy Hayden, Minister of Music
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
372 Hiden Boulevard
Newport News, Virginia 23606

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Giovanni Andreani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2004 10:45 AM

> I didn't get to explain myself correctly. Her's how it stands:
> I've got, lets say, a 16 bars melody in 3/8 and a metronome value as:
> sixteenth = 120.
> I want to display the metronome's pulse over each of the 16 bars, like a
> series of beats overlaying the melody, shifted above the staff; I would
have
> to display, in this case, six metronome symbols per each measure. The
symbol
> of the M.M.'s beat has not to be related to the sixteenth value.
> I personally selected a cross symbol like the percussion map ride cymbal,
> but was asking myself if there where a sort of conventional symbol/s for
> displaying M.M.'s beats
>
> Thanks again
> Giovanni
>



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