METER
There are two basic types of METER, or Time Signatures, used in Classical music
before the 20th century.
SIMPLE METER - a time signature in which the beat, or basic pulse, is divided into TWO parts.
SIMPLE METERS will have 2, 3 or 4 as the top number of the Time Signature.
The top number indicates how many beats are in each measure.
The bottom number indicates what note value is used as the beat, or basic pulse.
Here are the commonly used SIMPLE METERS:
2
&4 œ
BEAT =
BEAT =
BEAT =
œ
3
4œ
œ
œ
4œ
4
œ
œ
œ
48 œ
J
œ
J
œ
J
œ
J
Quarter note
& 28 œJ
œ
J
38 œ
J
œ
J
œ
J
2
&2 ˙
˙
3˙
2
˙
˙
Eighth note
4˙
2
˙
˙
˙
Half note
In each of these SIMPLE METERS the beat can be divided into TWO parts.
2œ
œ
&4 œ œ œ œ
3œ
œ
œ
4œ œ œ œ œ œ
4œ
œ
œ
œ
4œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
BEAT
Division
of beat
j
j
2œ
œ
&8 œ œ œ œ
j
j
j
3œ
œ
œ
8œ œ œ œ œ œ
j
j
j
j
4œ
œ
œ
œ
8œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
BEAT
Division
of beat
& 22 ˙œ œ ˙œ œ
32 ˙œ œ ˙œ œ ˙œ œ
42 ˙œ œ ˙œ œ ˙œ œ ˙œ œ
BEAT
Division
of beat
Notice that the TWO note DIVISIONS of the BEAT are GROUPED together
2
COMPOUND METERS are Time Signatures in which the BEAT can be divided into THREE parts.
COMPOUND METERS will have 6, 9 or 12 as the top number of the Time Signature.
The bottom number of the Time signature DOES NOT indicate which note gets the beat,
but indicates what note value will make up the THREE parts of each BEAT.
The top number indicates the total number of these divisions in each measure.
2 dotted quarter note
BEATS per measure
BEAT =
68 œœ . œ œ œœ . œ œ
&
Division
of beat into
total of 6 divisions
THREE parts
3 dotted quarter note
BEATS per measure
4 dotted quarter note
BEATS per measure
total of 9 divisions
total of 12 divisions
.
.
.
.
98 œœ . œ œ œœ . œ œ œœ . œ œ 12
8 œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ
The note that gets the beat in a COMPOUND METER
is a dotted note.
Here are the other commonly used COMPOUND METERS:
2 dotted eighth note
BEATS per measure
BEAT =
4 dotted eighth note
BEATS per measure
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
j
6 œ. œ.
9 œ . œ . œ . 12 œ . œ . œ . œ .
& 16 œ œ œ œ œ œ 16 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 16 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Division
of beat into
THREE parts
total of 6 divisions
2 dotted half note
BEATS per measure
BEAT =
3 dotted eighth note
BEATS per measure
total of 9 divisions
3 dotted half note
BEATS per measure
total of 12 divisions
4 dotted half note
BEATS per measure
6 ˙. ˙.
9 ˙. ˙. ˙.
12 ˙ . ˙ . ˙ . ˙ .
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Division
of beat into
THREE parts
total of 6 divisions
total of 9 divisions
total of 12 divisions
Notice that theTHREE note DIVISIONS of the BEAT are GROUPED together.