Free time is a type of musical anti-meter free from musical time and

time signature The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note va ...

. It is used when a piece of music has no discernible beat. Instead, the

rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular re ...

is intuitive and free-flowing. In standard musical notation, there are seven ways in which a piece is indicated to be in free time: # There is simply no time signature displayed. This is common in old vocal music such as

Gregorian Chant Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin (and occasionally Greek) of the Roman Catholic Church. Gregorian chant developed mainly in western and central Europe dur ...

. # There is no time signature but the direction 'Free time' is written above the stave. # There is a time signature (usually ) and the direction 'Free time' written above. # The word is written downwards across the stave. This is mostly used when the piece changes to free time after having had a time signature. # Instead of a time signature, a large is written on the stave. # Note heads alone are used, without time values (typically black note heads without stems) # The passage is marked "

recitativo Recitative (, also known by its Italian name "''recitativo''" ()) is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repeat ...

" or "parlando" Examples of musical genres employing free time include

Gregorian chant Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin (and occasionally Greek) of the Roman Catholic Church. Gregorian chant developed mainly in western and central Europe dur ...

, the petihot used as transitions between Baqashot in

Sephardic Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), pt, Judeus sefa ...

Jewish cantillation, nusach,

layali ''Layālī'' (ليالي) is a style of unmetered modal improvisation, based on a '' maqam'', performed by a singing voice in Arabic music. It is similar to the ''taqsim'', which is performed by a solo instrument. The ''layali'' generally serves a ...

, early types of

organum ''Organum'' () is, in general, a plainchant melody with at least one added voice to enhance the harmony, developed in the Middle Ages. Depending on the mode and form of the chant, a supporting bass line (or '' bourdon'') may be sung on the sam ...

, Anglican chant, the '' préludes non mesurés'' of 17th-century French lute and keyboard music, the

alap The Alap (; ) is the opening section of a typical North Indian classical performance. It is a form of melodic improvisation that introduces and develops a raga. In dhrupad singing the alap is unmetered, improvised (within the raga) and unaccompan ...

Hindustani classical music Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, sit ...

, Javanese pathetan, the hora lungă of Romania, the urtiin duu of Mongolia, the Zulu izibongo,

free improvisation Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician(s) involved. The term can refer to both a technique (employed by any musician in any genre) and as a recognizable genre in its ...

free jazz Free jazz is an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians duri ...

and

noise music Noise music is a genre of music that is characterised by the expressive use of noise within a musical context. This type of music tends to challenge the distinction that is made in conventional musical practices between musical and non-musical ...

Cadenza In music, a cadenza (from it, cadenza, link=no , meaning cadence; plural, ''cadenze'' ) is, generically, an improvised or written-out ornamental passage played or sung by a soloist or soloists, usually in a "free" rhythmic style, and of ...

s are most often in unmeasured rhythm, and so is recitative. Examples of music written in free time include Erik Satie's '' Gnossienne No. 1'', Charles Ives' ''

Concord Sonata The Piano Sonata No. 2, ''Concord, Mass., 1840–60'' (commonly known as the ''Concord Sonata'') is a piano sonata by Charles Ives. It is one of the composer's best-known and most highly regarded pieces. A typical performance of the piece lasts ar ...

'', and most of

Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (born Leon Dudley Sorabji; 14 August 1892 – 15 October 1988) was an English composer, music critic, pianist and writer whose music, written over a period of seventy years, ranges from sets of miniatures to wor ...

's music.Abrahams, Simon John (2002).
Le mauvais jardinier: A Reassessment of the Myths and Music of Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji
' (PhD). King's College London. p. 99. Examples of contemporary songs in free time include " Hunting Bears" by

Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass ...

and the latter half of "

21st Century Schizoid Man "21st Century Schizoid Man" is a song by the progressive rock band King Crimson from their 1969 debut album '' In the Court of the Crimson King''. Often regarded as the group's signature song, it has been described by sources such as Rolling Sto ...

" by

King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...

. The usage of free time is almost absent in popular music.

The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman (founder, slide guitar and lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards, songwriting), as well as Dickey Betts (lead guita ...

was known for occasionally dropping into free time segments on their lengthy live jams. The most famous example can be found on "

Whipping Post The pillory is a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, formerly used for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse. The pillory is related to the stocks ...

" on the live album ''

At Fillmore East ''At Fillmore East'' is the first live album by American rock band the Allman Brothers Band, and their third release overall. Produced by Tom Dowd, the album was released on July 6, 1971, in the United States by Capricorn Records. As the title ...

''. The band drops into a lengthy free time at the 10-minute mark, before coming back into time about 5 and a half minutes later. They drop into free time again at the 17:15 mark and continue to the end of the song at about 23:00. Another example is in the nearly 10-minute psychedelic

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...

composition "

Interstellar Overdrive "Interstellar Overdrive" is an instrumental composition written and performed by Pink Floyd. The song was written in 1966 and is on their 1967 debut album, '' The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'', clocking in at almost ten minutes in length. The so ...

", wherein the opening riff eventually turns into improvisation, including modal improvisations, percussive flourishes on the

Farfisa organ Farfisa (Fabbriche Riunite di Fisarmoniche) is a manufacturer of electronics based in Osimo, Italy, founded in 1946. The company manufactured a series of compact electronic organs in the 1960s and 1970s, including the Compact, FAST, Professiona ...

, and quiet interludes. The song gradually becomes almost structureless and in free-form tempo, punctuated only by strange guitar noises. Eventually, however, the entire band restates the main theme, which is repeated with decreasing tempo and more deliberate intensity.{{Citation needed, date=July 2017

References

Rhythm and meter