Can somebody like give me an explanation on the time signatures, most common are

Question: Can somebody like give me an explanation on the time signatures, most common aren't to important!.!?

Like how to count them and how many beats are in a measureWww@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Ok- so take the concepts that the other posters have written!.!.!.
4/4 time means there's 4 beats to a measure, and the quarter note gets the beat!. So there are 4 quarter notes (or equal value) in every measure!.

Now, apply it to something like 12/8: 12 beats per measure, 8th note gets the beat!. There are 12 eighth notes per measure (or equivilant)!.

Same for 3/2!.!.!.

Now the hard part comes when figuring out how to count it WITH THE CONDUCTOR!. Most compound meters (like 12/8) will be simplified!.

Think of how to conduct in 4: [(1)down, (2)together, (3)out, (4)up]!.!.!. I hope that makes sense!. Now the same is true for 12/8!.!.!. it is conducted in 4, but it will be up to you to think the subdivisions!.!.!. 1(2 3)4(5 6)7(8 9)10(11 12)!. Some conductors will be nice and slightly flick their hands with the subdivision, but not usually! lol

Now, with something like 3/2!.!.!. 3 beats per measure, half note gets the beat!. There will be 3 half notes per measure!. Again, the key is to subdivide!.!.!. just remember that if you have quarter notes, think eighth notes (1&2&3&)!.!.!. if you have eighth notes, think sixteenths (1e&a2e&a3e&a), etc!. It may help you to mark the down beats lightly with a pencil!. And trust me- even the pros do it in complicated rhythmic passages!

Another couple of time signatures that might give you some trouble are 5/8 and 7/8!. Another poster had mentioned 5/4 (like Brubeck's Take 5)!.!.!. 5/8 and 7/8 are the red-headed step children of this meter! lol

Begin with the same concept: 5 (or 7) beats per measure, eighth note gets the beat!. There will be 5 (or 7) eighth notes per measure!.!.!. What makes these weird is that they don't have the same natural, even feel that we have grown accustomed to in western music (classical, rock, jazz, r&b, metal!.!.!. you name it!)!. If you get off, it is hard to come back in!

As far as the conducting goes- and HOW TO TAP YOUR FOOT to find the beat- it is a little odd!. Really, it is up to the conductor to interpret the phrasing of the piece!. Sometimes, there are instructions in the score from the composer on how to subdivide these meters, and sometimes not!.

In 5/8, it would be conducted in 2!. [With your left hand, make a "J"!. Start at the top!.!.!. at the end of the curve, that is "1"!.!.!. go back up, and when you hit the top, that is "2"]!. When counting in 5/8, it can be subdivided in two ways:

12-123 (or 12-345)- tap your foot on "1" and "3"
123-12 (0r 123-45)- tap your foot on "1" and "4"

This means that emphasis (or the strong beats) can be placed in different places in the measure to give the music a different feel!.

7/8 is similar, but is conducted in 3 [(1)down, (2)out, (3)up]!. There are more ways to subdivide this!.!.!. they are:

12-12-123 (or 12-34-567)- tap on "1" "3" "5"
12-123-12 (or 12-345-67)- tap on "1" "3" "6"
123-12-12 (or 123-45-67)- tap on "1" "4" "6"

In both 5/8 and 7/8, remember that the eighth notes are all even- though it will not feel like it when you tap your foot!

This takes some practice, so don't be discouraged if you get lost at first!. Once you learn these, though, they will forever be ingrained and you will be able to turn them on like a switch when you see them!

Sorry if I was long-winded, and feel free to email me if you need clearer explinations! Hope I helped!Www@QuestionHome@Com

OK, here goes

Time signatures look like fractions!. The top number tells you how many beats are in each measure!. The bottom number tells you which kind of note gets one beat!.

So -- 4/4 time means that you count 4 beats per measure:
1-2-3-4 / 1-2-3-4!. etc

And a quarter note gets one beat!. Eighth notes therefore get a half beat (2 eighth notes make up one beat); sixteenth notes get a quarter of a beat!. Half notes take up 2 beats; whole notes get 4 beats!.

3/4 = "waltz time" - 3 beats per measure:

1-2-3-/ 1-2-3- etc!.

And again, a quarter note gets one beat; eighth notes get half a beat, half notes get 2 beats, etc!.

2/4 = 2 beats per measure: 1-2-/1-2-/ etc, quarter note gets one beat!.

6/8 = aka "jig time": 6 beats per measure and written so that an eighth note gets one beat:

1-2-3-4-5-6-/1-2-3-4-5-6-/ etc!. Note that in actual practice, unless the tune is being played slowly, you wouldn't actually count or "feel" 6 beats per measure!. You'd actually feel and count 2 strong beats per measure, each one divided into 3: "did-dl-y did-dl-y / did-dl-y did-dl-y"

That's a start!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

12/8 breaks down to 4 beats a measure; that is the easy way to count it (instead of trying to count to 12 every measure)!. Dotted quarter gets the beat (or a group of 3 eighths)!. 3/2 has three beats per measure, a half note gets the beat!. Top number: beats per measure!. Bottom number: what note gets the beat!. 7/8 and 5/8 are really fun! 7/8 breaks down to 3 beats per measure, with one group of 3 eighths and two groups of 2 eighths!. And 5/8 is the same except there is one group of 3 eighths and just one group of 2 eighths!. Great example of this is the piece "Vesuvius" by Frank Ticheli!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

okay when you have a time signature the top number is the number of beats in a measure

the bottom number is the note that get the beat i!.e!. 3/4 is 3 beats per measure and each beat is the duration of one quarter note

common time is 4/4 four beats per measure with each beat lasting the duration of a quarter noteWww@QuestionHome@Com

Here's 3 examples:

4/4 = 4 beats per measure, each quarter note gets 1 beat!.

3/4 = 3 beats per measure ("waltz time"), each quarter note gets 1 beat!.

2/2 = 2 beats per measure, each quarter note gets 1/2 beat!.

5/4 = 5 beats per measure (like Dave Brubeck's Take Five), quarter note gets 1 beat!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

there is 4/4 with four notes in each measure, 3/4 with 3 notes in each measure, and 2/4 with two notes in each measureWww@QuestionHome@Com

6/6 and 8/4Www@QuestionHome@Com