Time signature Memes

Musicians looking at mathematicians trying to simplify 4/4 time signature be like: "You want to reduce our entire rhythmic foundation to... 1?" This is where math and music diverge spectacularly. In math, simplifying fractions is sacred. In music, those two fours tell completely different stories - the top one tells you how many beats per measure, the bottom one tells you which note gets the beat. Simplify that and you've just erased centuries of musical notation convention. Next up: mathematicians wondering why E♭ isn't just called D♯. Musicians everywhere collectively screaming.

Musicians aren't bad at math - they're just playing by different rules! In music notation, 6/8 time isn't a fraction waiting to be simplified to 3/4. It tells you there are 6 eighth notes per measure, creating a completely different rhythmic feel than 3/4 time (which has 3 quarter notes per measure). It's like saying "why don't we just call all dogs 'small wolves'?" Sure, mathematically they might look equivalent, but try telling that to a conductor when you're playing a waltz instead of a jig! The beauty of music is that these "unsimplified fractions" create entirely different emotional experiences. Math and art collide in the most delightful way!