Originally Posted by: dlwalke

I just mean that the note falling on the first beat occurs after the vertical line indicating the start of the measure. So in the above example - a screen capture from one of the songs on the GT website- there are the vertical bars labelled 6, 7, and 8 (which I believe indicate the beginning and end of each measure), and then some space and then the first beat.[/quote]

Oh, I misunderstood! I got it now. The bar line is a clear demarcation line to perceptually indicate where the information from one measure ends & info from the next measure begins. So, there needs to be a little space before & after the line for perceptual clarity.

Otherwise the notes would be right on top of the bar line. Are you saying you think there's too much space? I mean it's clear that no matter how much white space there is, the first event (note or rest) that is placed after the bar line is the first event that happens.

I know transcribers (& related software to create it) try to indicate the rhythm subdivision value by the relative space put in between stems & dots. But I'm not aware of any particular standard for the blank space after the bar line before the first event (note or rest).

Originally Posted by: dlwalkeBut since I'm unaware of any way to notate a note that precedes the first beat (and exists within the same measure)

Right, there is no way to do that because it's not possible by definition. A note that precedes the first beat of a measure is by definition in the previous measure!

[quote=dlwalke]...I'm guessing that it's shown the way it is for clarity. Not because there is actually a delay between the beginning of the measure and the first beat.

Exactly!