TIME SIGNATURES
A time signature tells you how many beats there are in each bar and how long each beat is.
The time signature consists of two numbers one on top of the other. The bottom number tells you what type of notes - by dividing a semibreve which is four beats - and the top number how many are counted in the bar. So if the bottom number is 4 that is crotchets -single beats -(because a crotchet is a quarter of 4 i.e. 1) - and if the top number is 3 then there are 3 crotchets worth of notes in the bar. That doesn't mean you will only see crotchets in that piece of music but that 3 crotchets worth will be the total in the bar. So you might have a minim worth 2 beats and two quavers worth a half in the first bar (2 + half + half = 3) and 1 crotchet and 4 quavers in the second (one + half + half + half + half = 3).
The time signature consists of two numbers one on top of the other. The bottom number tells you what type of notes - by dividing a semibreve which is four beats - and the top number how many are counted in the bar. So if the bottom number is 4 that is crotchets -single beats -(because a crotchet is a quarter of 4 i.e. 1) - and if the top number is 3 then there are 3 crotchets worth of notes in the bar. That doesn't mean you will only see crotchets in that piece of music but that 3 crotchets worth will be the total in the bar. So you might have a minim worth 2 beats and two quavers worth a half in the first bar (2 + half + half = 3) and 1 crotchet and 4 quavers in the second (one + half + half + half + half = 3).
COMMON TIME / 4/4 TIME
This first example is 4/4 time.
Also known as common time so a C symbol is sometimes used as above - yes you've guessed it because it is so common in music. There are 4 single beats - crotchets - worth of notes in each bar. Lots of blues, rock and pop is written in this time signature.
3/4 TIME / WALTZ TIME
This example shows the signature for 3/4 time. This is therefore for 3 single beats - crotchets - worth of notes in a bar. This time signature is for example used in waltzes.
2/4 TIME - MARCH TIME - CUT COMMON TIME
2/2 time is known as cut common and can be written with the C symbol with a vertical line through it. It indicates there are two minims worth of beats in a bar. So 4 in total the same as for common time. But it will be conducted in 2 and instead of counting 1 2 3 4 you would tend to count 1 and 2 and.
2/4 time is often known as march time as this is one of its main uses. It has two single beats - crotchets - worth of notes in each bar and is conducted in two.
6/8 TIME
6/8 time indicates that there are 6 half beats - quavers - worth of notes in each bar. Depending on the piece and your conductor this may be conducted in 6 or in 2. You might count this as 1 2 3 2 2 3 rather than 1 2 3 4 5 6. But as long as you can count it and keep in time, since you will be doing it silently in your head while you play, no-one will know - or probably care - how you do it. So do whatever works best for you.
12/8 TIME
12/8 time inicates that there are twelve half beats - quavers - worth of notes in each bar. This is usually conducted in 4 and counted 1 2 3, 2 2 3, 3 2 3, 4 2 3. But again it is inside your own head so whatever works best for you - noone will ever know.
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