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Chapter 3 · Rhythm and meter

Time signatures and bar lines

4 min Lesson 3/5

Key idea A time signature has two numbers. The top number is how many beats are in each bar. A bottom 4 means a quarter note gets one beat. Beat 1 of each bar is the strongest.

Bar lines are vertical lines that divide music into equal bars (measures). A double bar marks the end of a section, and a thin-thick double bar marks the end of the piece.

44
Each 4/4 bar holds exactly 4 beats, however they are divided.
  • 2/4: 2 beats per bar, strong weak. Marches and polkas.
  • 3/4: 3 beats per bar, strong weak weak. The waltz.
  • 4/4: 4 beats per bar, strong weak medium weak. The most common, sometimes written as C.
241+2+1+2+1+2+1+2+
2/4: "ONE two, ONE two".
341+2+3+1+2+3+1+2+3+
3/4: "ONE two three".
441+2+3+4+1+2+3+4+
4/4: "ONE two three four".
34CEGEFEDC
A short waltz tune. Each bar has 3 beats.

Quick check

Question 1/5

How many beats are in each bar of 3/4?

Keep practicing

Drill Rhythm tap Hear the count-in, tap in time. Piece Bắc kim thang A Southern Vietnamese folk song in 2/4 with dotted rhythms, right hand in one position from D to B. Piece Brahms Lullaby F major with its B flat, over a gentle waltz in the left hand.