Just getting myself in a tangle of confusion. Doing my past papers, MTiP, etc, and I'm actually quite enjoying doing the composition bits - thanks mainly to all the bits of advice on here!

One question, some of the given openings start with an upbeat. In that case, what constitutes "eight bars"?

Is it 'upbeat + 7 whole bars + other part of starting bar', i.e. 7 + two bits? Or would that in fact count as nine bars, because the two part bars are in fact whole bars with 'invisible rests'?

I think I know the answer but just want to check...Ta much

The upbeat bar is not the first complete bar. Therefore, you would need to compose seven bars, plus the last bar to add to the upbeat bar with enough notes/rests to add up to the time signature.

So, it's upbeat +7 + last part of starting bar.

Hurrah, that's what I thought

The one I was doing last night I couldn't get to finish right, then I realised I had numbered the upbeat bar number 1, which explained why it was trying to finish too soon, but then I got lost with the bar numbering because some editions of music do call that "bar 1" and some don't

Thank you.

My tutor has always told me to count from the first complete bar when upbeats are used. I pass this on to my students too. Saves the confusion you've been experiencing. The most important thing is for all the notes/rests to add up to the time signature by the time you get to the end, as you are probably more than aware.

Good luck with it. Composition is not my strongest point in theory exams, though I'm getting better