Time Signatures
The 2 numbers at the start of a piece of music that tell you how many beats there are per bar.

WORKSHEETS for TIME SIGNATURES

General Q's	Identifying Time Signatures	Writing Time Signatures

A time signature is written at the start of a piece of music to show how many beats are in each bar.
They are two numbers:

The TOP NUMBER is the number of beats in each bar.(Eg in 4/4 it is 4 beats per bar)
The BOTTOM NUMBER is the types of the beats: (Eg in 4/4 the 4 represents crotchet beats)
So 4/4 has 4 crotchet beats per bar.

BOTTOM NUMBERS:
2 = minim beats       4 = crotchet beats      8 = quaver beats

EXAMPLES:

	2 crotchet beats per bar	marching music		CLICK TO HEAR Soldiers marching
	3 crotchet beats per bar	Waltzes		CLICK TO HEAR Gorgeous Audrey Hepburn
	4 crotchet beats per bar	Most common time sig.		CLICK TO HEAR
	5 crotchet beats per bar	"Take Five"		CLICK TO HEAR Jazz, nice.
	2 minim beats per bar	Fast orchestral music with a "2 beat feel"
	same as 4/4	Called Common Time
	same as 2/2	Called Cut Common Time

In all the above examples the bars can be subdivided into crotchet beats. This is called SIMPLE TIME.
Simple Time is a time signature where each beat can be subdivided into 2 quavers. (Eg: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 2/2)

In music where there are 3 quavers per beat the time signature is COMPOUND TIME.
Compound Time is a time signature where each beat can be subdivided into 3 quavers. (Eg: 6/8, 9/8, 12/8).
Love To You by Etta James is in 12/8. Each beat is divided into 3 quavers. Click here to listen to Adele singing the song

	6 quaver beats per bar	A lilting feel		CLICK TO HEAR HRH!
	9 quaver beats per bar	Not a common sig.		CLICK TO HEAR A bit of Bach
	12 quaver beats per bar	Often in the blues		CLICK TO HEAR when the band comes in

What they represent:
2/4 - March (think of soldiers marching along – 1 2, 1 2, LEFT RIGHT, LEFT RIGHT,)
3/4 - A waltz (like the song Moon River) - 123, 123, 123, 123
4/4 - The most commonly used time signature - 1234, 1234, 1234
6/8 - A lilting 2-feel but with 3 small beats to each strong beat (easy to confuse with a fast waltz) 123 456, 123 456
12/8 - Bluesy (think of Etta James’ “I just wanna make love to you”) 123-456-789-10 11 12,

HOW TO IDENTIFY TIME SIGNATURES:

1. Look to see if the quavers are grouped in 2’s or 3’s. In 2’s means simple time (3/4, 2/4, 4/4 etc). In 3’s means compound time (6/8, 9/8 or 12/8).
2. Add up the number of crotchet beats per bar if it's simle time or quaver beats if it's compound time.

Now go back to the top and try some of the worksheets.
GOOD LUCK! Any problems please find a friend who understands and get them to help you out or book a lesson with a theory teacher. Don't suffer in silence. x