Music Theory: Time Signatures

top of time signature #

# of beats per measure

bottom of time signature

type of note that gets the beat

bars

vertical black bars, divide staff into measures

Each time signature can be classified into a certain _______

meter

# of beats in a measure for 2,3,4

duple, triple, quadruple

simple (d/t/q)

each beat in measure can be broken into 2

examples of simple d/t/q

anything with 2/3/4 on top # (2/2, 2/4, 3/8, 4/8)

compound

can be broken into 3 notes, has the 6/9/12 on top

How to find the # of pulse beats?

Take top #, divide by 3 (for example, 12/4, 12 divided by 3=4. 4 Pulse beats.)

compound duple

Any meter with two beats in a measure, with each beat divided into three (e.g., 6/8 or 6/4).

compound triple

Any meter with three beats in a measure, with each beat divided into three (e.g., 9/8 or 9/4).

compound quadruple

Any meter with four beats in a measure, with each beat divided into three (e.g., 12/8 or 12/4).