Following the rule of compound meters, 6/4 is a compound meter because there’s a “6” on top, which is multiple of 3. 3/8, however, is a simple meter because the top number is less than 6. Time signatures are also referred to as meter signatures, and the time signatures tell you the meter for the song. When looking at the top number, it tells you the type of meter of the song: 2 = simple double, 3 = simple triple, 4 = simple quadruple, 6 = compound double, 8 = compound triple, and 12 = compound quadruple.
The bottom numbers in a simple time signature always refer to a specific note getting a single beat: A “1” on the bottom tells you the whole note gets the beat. “2” means the half note is equal to 1 beat. “4” shows you the quarter note has the beat. When you see an “8,” that means the eighth note lasts 1 beat. Finally, a “sixteen” tells you the sixteenth note gets the beat. [3] X Research source For instance, 4/4 time is a simple time signature. The “4” on the bottom tells you the quarter note gets the beat.
For instance, each of these bottom numbers tells you the following in a compound meter: A “4” means the dotted half note gets the beat, which can be divided into 3 quarter notes. “8” tells you the dotted quarter note gets the beat, which is equal to 3 eighth notes. A “16” shows you the dotted eighth note has the beat, equal to 3 sixteenth notes. 6/8 time is a compound time signature. The “8” tells you a dotted quarter note gets the beat; however, you could also say that a single beat is composed of 3 eighth notes (the same length as a dotted quarter note).
For instance, 2/4 has 2 beats per measure, and 3/4 has 3 beats per measure; both are simple meters. With compound meters, 6/8 has 2 beats per measure, while 9/12 has 3 beats per measure.
Rests also get beats, the same as their note equivalents. A quarter rest almost looks like a stylized 3, while a half rest is a little rectangle on top of the middle line. A whole rest is a little rectangle below the second line from the top, and an eighth rest is a stem with a little flag to the left at the top. [6] X Research source
Write the number of beats each note gets above the beat, then add them all together for the measure. For instance, if you have 1 quarter note, a half note, and a quarter rest, you have 4 beats because the quarter note is 1 beat, the half note is 2 beats, and the quarter rest is 1 beat. If you have 4 eighth notes, 2 quarter notes, and a whole note, you have 8 beats. The 4 eighth notes equal 2 beats, while the 2 quarter notes equal 2 beats and the whole note is 4 beats. If you have 2 half notes and 2 eighth notes, that’s 5 beats as each half note equals 2 beats and the 2 eighth notes equal 1 beat.
For example, if the notes are 2 quarter notes, a half note, and a half rest, the time signature could be 6/4 or 12/8. In 6/4, the quarter note would get the beat; in 12/8, the dotted half note would, but you typically see more eighth notes in that time signature as 1 beat is equal to 3 eighth notes. In this case, 6/4 likely makes more sense. If the notes are 2 half notes and 2 quarter notes, that could be 2. 5/2, 5/4, or 10/8. You shouldn’t use decimals, so 2. 5/2 is out. 10/8 doesn’t make a lot of sense because you don’t have any eighth notes, so 5/4 is the most likely, where you’re counting quarter notes as 1 beat. [9] X Research source
In the example of 2 half notes and 2 quarter notes, 2. 5/2 would count the half note as the beat, but since no decimals are allowed, choose the next longest beat, which would be the quarter note. [11] X Research source
Many times, the first beat in the measure will be given a stronger emphasis, so try to listen for that, as well.
It can help to listen for strong and weak notes. For instance, the beats for duple time (2/4 and 6/8), are strong-weak. The beats for triple time (3/4 and 9/8), are strong-weak-weak, while for quadruple time (4/4 or ‘C’ for common time and 12/8), they’re strong-weak-medium-weak.
2/4 time is most often used in polkas and marches. You may hear “om-pa-pa, om-pa-pa” in this type of song, where the “om” is a quarter note on the first beat and the “pa-pa” is 2 eighth notes on the second beat. Another possibility is 3/4, which is often used in waltzes and minuets. Here, you’ll hear 3 beats in the measure, but you won’t hear the triplets you do in 6/8 (a triplet is 3 eighth notes). Dance music is almost as big a category as non-dance music. In terms of time signature, you can use the music to which it is easy to dance, has a predictable section length, and about 16 bars. [17] X Research source Plenty of modern electronic dance music has a pretty clear drop. So the song with the highest energy and biggest bass drops is suitable for dance. [18] X Research source
