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TIME SIGNATURES

The Time Signature on a musical staff tells you the meter of the music by defining both the number of beats in a measure and the type of note that fills one beat. It will have a direct effect on the tempo and rhythm of the music.

TIME SIGNATURES are given in the form of a fraction; 4/4, 2/4, 6/8 etc. The top number designates the number of beats allowed in each bar and the bottom number is the time value of each note. In other words the time signature tells you the rhythm and tempo by how the bars are organized, how many beats are in each bar and how long each beat lasts. For example 4/4 time uses 1/4 notes as the time value for each beat and there are 4 of them in each bar (4 x ¼). In 6/8 time there are 6 – 1/8 notes per each bar, in 3/4 there are 3 – 1/4 notes per bar, etc….Any combination of notes, (or rests), may be used, but the total value must add up to the maximum number of beats allowed for each bar. In 4/4 that would be 4 – 1/4 notes, or 8 - 1/8 notes, or 16 - 1/16 notes, or any combination of notes. In common time you could have 2 quarter notes, 2 eighth notes, and 4 sixteenth notes all occupying the same measure, and therefore the same time span as just 4 quarter notes. This mixture of notes within the measure will effect the rhythm or tempo of the music.

Below is a small sample of the more common TIME SIGNATURES. There are a variety of other less common signatures that range from simple to extremely complex.

 

4/4 or Common Time has 4 beats to a bar with each beat having a value equal to 1 quarter note

 

2/4 time or Cut Time has 2 beats to a bar with each beat having a value equal to 1 quarter note. (marches)

 

3/4 time has 3 beats to a bar with each beat having a value equal to 1 quarter note. (waltz)

 

6/8 time has 6 beats to a bar with each beat having a value equal to 1 eighth note. (polkas/jigs)

 

4/2 time has 4 beats to a bar with each beat having a value equal to 1 half note. (classical)

The time signature can also be changed during the composition to create a "shift" in the rhythm and, while this is not common, it does appear occasionally especially in classical pieces. This irregular rhythm or tempo change created by using the signature is referred to as "Mixed Meter".

No matter what time signature is used in a given composition the number of beats per bar cannot exceed the top number of the signature and the time value of the notes / beats cannot exceed the value of the bottom number. Still given the variety of notes, dotted notes, rests, and ties, an incomprehensibly large volume of music can be composed in any given time signature. The music timing, tempo, rhythm , the feel or essence, of any particular music piece can usually be determine by looking at it's signature .

Next - Music Notation

The Music Staff | Rests | Dotted Notes | Tied Notes | Timing | Time Signatures | Music Notation | Chromatic Scale | Major Diatonic Scale
Minor Diatonic Scale | Scale Modes | Complimentary Scales | Pentatonic Scale | Blues Scale | Chord Theory | Circle of Fifths
Alternate Guitar Tuning | Finger Picking | More Fingers | Intonation

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