Understand time signatures Explaining beats and bars

Understand time signatures

There are many different ways of changing the beats of the bar through time signatures, and each has its own distinct feel and style

Atime signature will always be found at the beginning of a piece of music directly after the key signature. It is very important as it tells us exactly how to divide the beats of the bar, in turn making it so much easier to read a piece of music. There are two main types of time signature: simple time and compound time. Here’s a bit more about them.

4 4 2 4

Simple time Simple time is a signature where the main beat is divided into two equal beats. For instance, in 4 4 time, the main beat is a crotchet/ quarter note, and this can be divided in two quavers/eighth notes. The most common forms of simple time signature are 4 4,

often used in waltzes) and 3 4 (most 2 4 (considered a march beat).

3 4 6 8 . Compound time Compound time, much like simple time, is where the main beat can be divided into three beats. The lowest number is most commonly an 8. For example, in 6 8, where the main beat is a dotted crotchet/quarter note, this can be split into three quavers/ eighth notes. You’re likely to see one of these signatures in a ballad or jig.

“There are two main types: simple time and compound time”

Explaining time signatures

What do the numbers mean and why are they important?

Time signatures comprise two numbers, one on top of the other. The top number (also known as the numerator) will indicate how many beats are in a bar, the bottom number (the denominator) will tell you what type of beat it is. The most common numbers found at the bottom of a time signature are 4 (crotchet), 8 (quavers), and 16 (semiquavers).

The numbers in time can also be replaced by a symbol that looks like a C. This is called common time, but also tells us that there are 4 crotchet beats to a bar.

Number of beats in the bar

4 4

Type of beat

4 4

Simple time 2 4 3 4

is mainly used for marches and polka music.

where the pulse is 3 crotchet beats to a bar is essentially used for waltzes.

4 4

or common time (C), is the most widely used of the time signatures and is used in a variety of music including pop and rock.

Compound time 6 8 12 8 9 8

are most commonly found in various types of folk music. is quite common in slower blues music and, again, also used in folk music.

Dots and ties

Understand exactly what is meant by dots and ties

A dot tells you that you add half the value of the note to its original value. For example, the dotted crotchet ( . ) is 1 + ½ =1½ beats. A tie tells you to add two note values together. For example, a crotchet plus another crotchet would be two beats and look like this: . You would most likely use a tie when you need a note to carry over into the next bar. If a minim doesn’t fit in a bar, then you can tie two crotchets on either side of the bar line.

Top tip Stress the beat In all time signatures, the fi rst beat of the bar is usually a stressed note. In time signatures, using four beats in a bar ( , ), the third can also be stressed, although these notes are not always louder or more important. 44 12 8

Beats in a bar

If we take as an example, there are several ways in which notes can be used in each bar 4 4 01 First bar

In the first bar we have used four crotchets/quarter notes, each worth one beat, to complete the four beats needed.

02 Second bar

The second bar uses two minims/ half notes, each worth two beats, which will once again total the four we are after.

03 Third bar

In the third bar, we have used a combination of both crotchets/quarter notes and minims/half notes to total the four beats required.

04 Fourth bar

Alternatively, we can fill an entire four-beat bar with a semibreve/whole note to get exactly the same effect, as shown below in the fourth bar.

01 02 03 04

1 2 3 4

4 4

“We have used a combination of both crotchets/quarter notes and minims/half notes to total the four beats required”

Time signature examples

Common time signatures seen throughout the book

4/4 time

The most common time signature, 4/4 time consists of four crotchet/quarter note beats. As long as the number of beats in a bar totals 4, you can have whatever combination of notes you please – a semibreve/whole note will take up a bar on its own.

3/4 time

This time signature dictates that there are to be 3 crotchets/quarter notes to a bar. A dotted minim/half note will take up the whole bar as it lasts for 3 beats: 2 beats of the minim/half note and 1 beat for its dot, which adds half of the note’s original length.

6/8 time

6/8 time comprises six quaver/eighth note beats in a bar, which we have done here in the second bar of our example. Emphasis is placed on the first and fourth beats, which means it’s perfect for upbeat jigs and, with a slower tempo, ballads.