can someone help me understand time signatures?

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: can someone help me understand time signatures?

Look at it in written form, then you'll know.

[ItsaBass]

Re: can someone help me understand time signatures?

Look at it in written form, then you'll know.

Considering that my statement was obviously made after doing so, how does this response make any sense? It answers nothing; it only tells me to do what I have already done in forming my initial question.

Here is what I initially said about 15/8 (emphasis added):

"Depending on the phrasing of the riff, it might actually be easier to figure out (or read) if it is thought of as 15/8. On paper, it would make the music a whole hell of a lot less messy and busy, and make it a lot easier to write. It would look intimidating to sight read, but if you had a little time to sit down with it, it would actually make it easier to read. But, as I said, that would depend on how the riff is phrased. If the riff feels like a long measure, as opposed to feeling like a full measure followed by a "chopped" measure, then 15/8 is the way to go IMO. If it feels like two distinct measures, then 4/4 followed by 7/8 is the way to go."

Keeping it from being cumbersome would be one of the main reasons for writing it in 15/8. Difficult? Maybe. Intimidating? Maybe. But definitely not "cumbersome" in comparison to 4/4+7/8. As I said, there are reasons for writing it in 4/4+7/8, but there is no doubt that it is a much more cumbersome way to write it than 15/8.