+@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 {
+ \relative c' {
+ \overrideTimeSignatureSettings
+ #'Score % context
+ #'(4 . 4) % timeSignatureFraction
+ #'(1 . 4) % baseMomentFraction
+ #'(3 1) % beatStructure
+ #'() % beamExceptions
+ \time 4/4
+ \repeat unfold 8 c8 |
+ }
+}
+@end lilypond
+
+@code{\overrideTimeSignatureSettings} takes five arguments:
+
+@enumerate
+@item
+@code{@var{context}}, a Scheme symbol that describes the context
+to which the default setting will apply.
+
+@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
+
+@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
+ #'Score % context
+ #'(4 . 4) % timeSignatureFraction
+ #'(1 . 4) % baseMomentFraction
+ #'(3 1) % beatStructure
+ #'((end . (((1 . 8) . (3 1))))) % beamExceptions
+ \time 4/4
+ \repeat unfold 8 c8 |
+ \revertTimeSignatureSettings #'Score #'(4 . 4)
+ \time 4/4
+ \repeat unfold 8 c8 |
+ }
+}
+@end lilypond