Time signature
A time signature is a set of two numbers, one on top of the other one, written right after the key signature in a piece of music. The two numbers in a time signature tell you how many of one kind of note there are in each measure in the song. For example, [math]\displaystyle{ \frac 4 4 }[/math] means that there are four beats in each measure and the quarter note gets one beat.
Finding out what certain time signatures mean
The number in the top of the time signature tells a player how many of a certain kind of note there are in each measure. The number in the bottom of the time signature tells what kind of note is used a certain number of times in each measure. The number on the bottom of the time signature can be any power of 2 that is greater than or equal to 2. So, 64 could be a number that is put in the bottom of the time signature, but 65 could not be one.[1]
| Number on the bottom of the time signature | What it means |
|---|---|
| 1 | A whole note lasts one beat |
| 2 | A half note lasts one beat |
| 4 | A quarter note lasts one beat |
| 8 | An eighth note lasts one beat |
| 16 | A sixteenth note lasts one beat |
This table shows different numbers that could be the bottom of a time signature, and what they mean. Note that each note down lasts for one-half of the amount the note above it lasted. For example, one quarter note lasts one beat, and one-half note lasts one half of a beat, because one divided by two is one-half.
Time signatures that are used very often
| Time signature | What it means |
|---|---|
| [math]\displaystyle{ \frac 4 4 }[/math] | Four quarter notes in each measure[2] |
| [math]\displaystyle{ \frac 3 4 }[/math] | Three quarter notes in each measure[2] |
| [math]\displaystyle{ \frac 2 4 }[/math] | Two quarter notes in each measure[2] |
| [math]\displaystyle{ \frac 6 8 }[/math] | Six eighth notes in each measure[2] |
Symbols that are used instead of time signatures
- The letter C has been used instead of using [math]\displaystyle{ \frac 4 4 }[/math] time.
- The symbol "
" is called "cut time" (alla breve) and has been used instead of using [math]\displaystyle{ \frac 2 2 }[/math] time, where every note is cut in half. So, in "cut time", a quarter note, which usually gets one beat, gets one-half of a beat.
Time Signature Media
3-4 equals 3-8 drum pattern.
12-8 equals 4-4 drum pattern
Simple quadruple drum pattern: divides four beats into two. Created in Sibelius.
4/4 at a tempo of 60 bpm
Half time: notice the snare moves to beats 3 of measure one and two (beats 3 & 7) while the hi-hat plays only on the quarter notes. Note also, for example, that the quarter notes 'sound like' eighth notes in one giant measure.
Simple duple drum pattern: divides two beats into two.*Created by Hyacinth (talk) 02:19, 20 July 2009 using Sibelius 5.
2/4 at a tempo of 60 bpm
3/4 drum pattern.
3/4 at a tempo of 60 bpm
Compound duple drum pattern: divides two beats into three. Created by Hyacinth (talk) using Sibelius 5.
Time Signature 6/8 at a tempo of 90 bpm
9/8 at a tempo of 90 bpm
12/8 at a tempo of 90 bpm
Unable to parse music symbol time at 60 bpm
Unable to parse music symbol time at 60 bpm
Unable to parse music symbol time at 60 bpm
Unable to parse music symbol time at 120 bpm
The rhythm of Dave Brubeck's "Blue Rondo à la Turk": It consists of three measures of 2+2+2+3 followed by one measure of 3+3+3 and the cycle then repeats. Taking the smallest time unit as eighth notes, the arrows on the tempo dial show the tempi for ♪, ♩, ♩. and the measure beat. Starts slow, speeds up to usual tempo
Polymeter Unable to parse music symbol time and Unable to parse music symbol time played together has three beats of Unable to parse music symbol time to four beats of Unable to parse music symbol time
Polymeter Unable to parse music symbol time and Unable to parse music symbol time played together has six beats of Unable to parse music symbol time to four beats of Unable to parse music symbol time
Polymeter Unable to parse music symbol time and Unable to parse music symbol time played together has five beats of Unable to parse music symbol time to three beats of Unable to parse music symbol time. The displayed numbers count the underlying polyrhythm, which is 5:3