: How do I explain a time signature switch from 2/2 to 4/2? I am presently studying Nathaniel Dett's Chariot Jubilee, and the time signature switches from 2/2 to 4/2. What are some suggestions on how to approach explaining

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A switch from 2/2 to 4/2 is actually quite easy.

Since they both have a beat unit of one half note (that's the 2 on the bottom of the time signature), the only thing that changes is that a measure of 4/2 has 4 half notes in it instead of just the 2 found in 2/2.

In fact, you can basically tell your singers to just keep thinking in 2/2. If they mentally insert a bar line every 2 half notes, it's as if the time signature never changed.

(In fact, it's such an easy switch that I'm wondering if there's a typo in your question...)