Meter and Time Signatures (Basic Time Signatures)

What is Meter?

The meter of a piece of music is the arrangement of its rhythms in a repetitive pattern of strong
and weak beats. This does not necessarily mean that the rhythms themselves are repetitive, but
they do strongly suggest a repeated pattern of pulses. It is on these pulses, the beat of the music,
that you tap your foot, clap your hands, dance, etc.

Classifying Meters

Meters can be classified by counting the number of beats from one strong beat to the next. For
example, if the meter of the music feels like “strong-weak-strong-weak”, it is in duple meter.
“Strong-weak-weak-strong-weak-weak” is triple meter, and “strong-weak-weak-weak”
is quadruple. (Most people don’t bother classifying the more unusual meters, such as those with
five beats in a measure.)

Meters can also be classified as either simple or compound. In a simple meter, each beat is
basically divided into halves. In compound meters, each beat is divided into thirds.

Time signatures are one of the most important indications in notated music. We use them to
help organize and measure music. They help us divide music into phrases and make it easier to
memorize and understand more complex passages and songs. Without them, measures in notated
music would run on forever, much like a sentence without any sort of punctuation.
Basic Time Signatures
4/4 time signature
The most common is 4/4:

In a 4/4 time signature, there are four beats per measure and the quarter note receives one beat. A
whole note takes up one entire measure in 4/4 time. There are 8, eighth notes in 4/4 time. Most of
the songs with basic piano chords that you can learn with Skoove will be in a 4/4. 

2/2 time signature

2/2, also known as “cut time” is also very common and it’s literally 4/4 cut in half. Each measure
consists of two half notes. It sounds almost the same as 4/4 except it has a stronger accent on the
3rd beat of each measure (the second half note).

2/4 time signature

2/4 is also a very common often used for marches:

In a 2/4 time signature, there are two beats per bar and a quarter note receives one count. 

3/4 time signature

3/4 is the most used after 4/4 and 2/4.  With three beats per measure, it creates a lilting waltz
time that was made hugely popular in Vienna by the great Johann Strauss II during the 19th
century.
Dynamics (symbols and meanings)
Dynamics in music refers to how loud or
soft is the music. It is that simple! But,
because musicians and composers like to
make things interesting, and sometimes
difficult, there are lots of different musical
terms that can be used to describe what the
dynamics are in a piece of music. Usually,
the music terms used to describe dynamics
are called “Italian terms”.

Dynamics in music are very important because they can add a lot of emotion to a piece of music.
When a piece of music performed very softly, it evokes emotions that are in stark contrast to
music that is performed very loudly. Let’s face it, heavy metal music is not meant to be listened
to quietly, and a lullaby that is sweetly sung to help a baby or young child sleep is not meant to
be screeched as loudly as humanly possible!

The dynamics of a piece of music can help to wake you up, can help to put you to sleep, can help
to motivate you to get dancing, or even help you to concentrate and study.
Kinds of Notes and Rests

Note is a musical sound that represents a sound. Different notes are worth different amounts of
beats. Duration is how long the note or rest lasts.

Rests are silent beats, and still count as beats in a measure. When you see the symbol or rest in a
musical piece, you remain silent for the of beat the rest symbol has.