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2.3 Division of beats – simple meter in a variety of time signatures

Beats can divide into two smaller parts or three smaller parts. When basic beats divide

into two parts it is called simple time; compound time is when basic beats divide into three parts.

Good examples of this concept can be found in some common children’s tunes. At a moderate

tempo, the “ABC Song” is felt in duple meter – with each of the first letters (A-B-C-D-E-F)

representing a basic pulse duration. Moving through the song, the letters "G and P are worth two

pulses, and the letters L-M-N-O are divisions of the beat into two equal parts – they are twice as

fast as the pulse. The “ABC Song” is in simple division – the main beats divide into two smaller

parts. (Section 2.3 will explore children’s rhymes that use compound meter.)

Teaching suggestion: To gain a more whole-body sense of simple duple rhythm,

including both main beats and division of beat, stand up and stomp back and forth (left – right –

left – right) at a moderate speed, counting the numbers “1 – 2 – 1 – 2” as you step. After the

heavy, steady footstep pattern is established, clap in between the footsteps, saying the word

“and” as you clap. This pattern (left – clap – right – clap/ left – clap – right – clap) is a body

movement manifestation of simple duple meter with division. Counting should be

“1 + 2 + 1 + 2 +” as you stomp the beats and clap the divisions.

In Example 2.3a, “The ABC Song” is notated in simple duple time: two beats per

measure, with each beat dividing into two equal parts. In 2/4 time, quarter notes are the beat

notes, half-notes are worth two pulses, and eighth notes are the division of the beat.

Example 2.3a