+@cindex time signature default settings
+@cindex autobeaming properties for time signatures
+@cindex beaming, time signature default properties
+@funindex \overrideTimeSignatureSettings
+
+In addition to setting the printed time signature, the @code{\time}
+command also sets time-signature-based default values for the properties
+@code{baseMoment}, @code{beatStructure}, and @code{beamExceptions}. The
+predefined default values for these properties can be found in
+@file{scm/time-signature-settings.scm}. The existing default values can
+be changed, or new default values can be added:
+
+@lilypond[quote,verbatim]
+\score {
+ \new Staff {
+ \relative c' {
+ \overrideTimeSignatureSettings
+ #'(4 . 4) % timeSignatureFraction
+ #'(1 . 4) % baseMomentFraction
+ #'(3 1) % beatStructure
+ #'() % beamExceptions
+ \time 4/4
+ \repeat unfold 8 { c8 } |
+ }
+ }
+}
+@end lilypond
+
+@code{\overrideTimeSignatureSettings} takes four arguments:
+
+@enumerate
+
+@item
+@code{@var{timeSignatureFraction}}, a Scheme pair describing the
+time signature.
+
+@item
+@code{@var{baseMomentFraction}}, a Scheme pair containing the numerator
+and denominator of the basic timing unit for the time signature.
+
+@item
+@code{@var{beatStructure}}, a Scheme list indicating the structure
+of the beats in the measure, in units of the base moment.
+
+@item
+@code{@var{beamExceptions}}, an alist containing any beaming rules
+for the time signature that go beyond ending at every beat, as
+described in @ref{Setting automatic beam behavior}.
+@end enumerate
+
+The context containing @code{\overrideTimeSignatureSettings} must
+be instantiated before the @code{\overrideTimeSignatureSettings}
+call is executed. That means it must either be explicitly
+instantiated or there must be music in the context before the
+@code{\overrideTimeSignatureSettings} call:
+
+@lilypond[quote,verbatim]
+\score {
+ \relative c' {
+ % This call will fail because the context isn't yet instantiated
+ \overrideTimeSignatureSettings
+ #'(4 . 4) % timeSignatureFraction
+ #'(1 . 4) % baseMomentFraction
+ #'(3 1) % beatStructure
+ #'() % beamExceptions
+ \time 4/4
+ c8^\markup {"Beamed (2 2)"}
+ \repeat unfold 7 { c8 } |
+ % This call will succeed
+ \overrideTimeSignatureSettings
+ #'(4 . 4) % timeSignatureFraction
+ #'(1 . 4) % baseMomentFraction
+ #'(3 1) % beatStructure
+ #'() % beamExceptions
+ \time 4/4
+ c8^\markup {"Beamed (3 1)"}
+ \repeat unfold 7 { c8 } |
+ }
+}
+@end lilypond
+
+
+@cindex time signature properties, restoring default values
+@cindex restoring default properties for time signatures
+@funindex \revertTimeSignatureSettings
+
+Changed values of default time signature properties can be restored
+to the original values:
+
+@lilypond[quote,verbatim]
+\score{
+ \relative c' {
+ \repeat unfold 8 { c8 } |
+ \overrideTimeSignatureSettings
+ #'(4 . 4) % timeSignatureFraction
+ #'(1 . 4) % baseMomentFraction
+ #'(3 1) % beatStructure
+ #'() % beamExceptions
+ \time 4/4
+ \repeat unfold 8 { c8 } |
+ \revertTimeSignatureSettings #'(4 . 4)
+ \time 4/4
+ \repeat unfold 8 { c8 } |
+ }
+}
+@end lilypond
+
+Different values of default time signature properties can be established
+for different staves by moving the @code{Timing_translator} and the
+@code{Default_bar_line_engraver} from the @code{Score} context to the
+@code{Staff} context.
+
+@lilypond[quote, verbatim]
+\score {
+ \new StaffGroup <<
+ \new Staff {
+ \overrideTimeSignatureSettings
+ #'(4 . 4) % timeSignatureFraction
+ #'(1 . 4) % baseMomentFraction
+ #'(3 1) % beatStructure
+ #'() % beamExceptions
+ \time 4/4
+ \repeat unfold 8 {c''8}
+ }
+ \new Staff {
+ \overrideTimeSignatureSettings
+ #'(4 . 4) % timeSignatureFraction
+ #'(1 . 4) % baseMomentFraction
+ #'(1 3) % beatStructure
+ #'() % beamExceptions
+ \time 4/4
+ \repeat unfold 8 {c''8}
+ }
+ >>
+ \layout {
+ \context {
+ \Score
+ \remove "Timing_translator"
+ \remove "Default_bar_line_engraver"
+ }
+ \context {
+ \Staff
+ \consists "Timing_translator"
+ \consists "Default_bar_line_engraver"
+ }
+ }
+}
+@end lilypond