Question on 8/8 time

So from what i understand the 8/8 time signature is odd meter because it has two compound beats and one simple beats, two dotted quarter notes and a quarter note. But what i dont understand is why it isn't just a simple quadruple. Is it just because 4/4 time already has this meter?

oh, and please correct me if i used any terminology wrong.

As far as I knew, 8/8 time is the same thing as 4/4 time.

yeah that's what i thought and then i read somewhere that 8/8 was in odd meter and 4/4 was just regular

Originally Posted by: recon75So from what i understand the 8/8 time signature is odd meter because it has two compound beats and one simple beats, two dotted quarter notes and a quarter note.[/quote]
Actually a complex meter is more accurate. But I've seen it called odd meter because the pulses are supposedly on alternately down and up beats. Have a look at this page:
http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/appendix/meter/Meterbasics.html

That shows that if you start to write out all possible time signatures as fractional units then, what you wind up with is 8/8 resulting in a table cell as a complex meter (a combination of simple and compound meters).
[QUOTE=recon75] But what i dont understand is why it isn't just a simple quadruple. Is it just because 4/4 time already has this meter?

In one sense, yes. 4/4 is by definition in a different "table cell", so this makes it more a matter of unique identifier than anything else.

But in another sense, all this is kind of obtuse info. This is because the purpose of a time signature is to provide conceptual clarity. To show the intention of the composer to the performer that is to play the music. So, you could write a piece of music that is in 8/8 in 4/4 instead. Then, depending upon where the beats fall it would be just as easy if not easier for the performer to read.

By contrast, you could write a waltz (a 3/4 piece of music) in 4/4. It is possible to do, you see? But it would make the music on paper look much differently than it is supposed to sound. It would hamper clarity!

I think the only value of something like 8/8 is if it shows more clearly than any other time signature how the music is accented or how the melody or phrases should actually sound.

ah, thanks for clearing that up, and for the site.