o = semibreve = whole note
o = minim = half note
o = crotchet = quarter note
? = quaver = eighth note
? = semi quaver = sixteenth note
Time signature ____ _________
/-----------------------------------\
|number of rhythmical units in a bar|
/------------------------------------/
| ?
2 there are two crotchet (quarter note) beats in a bar
4 ?
\------------------------------------\
| type of rhythmical unit in a bar |
\----------------------------------/
simple time - beat is a note like a crotchet or minim that can be
divided by 2
compound time - beat cannot be divided by 2 (divisible by 3)
example 6 = 6 quavers in a bar
8 _____ _____
basic beat is a ?. ie ?. ?. ?. ?. ?. ?.
1 2
| simple time | compound time | |||
| time sig | value of 1 bar | time sig | value of 1 bar | |
| duple | 2/2 | o o | 6/4 | o. o. |
| 2/4 | o o | 6/8 | o. o. | |
| 2/8 | ? ? | 6/16 | ?. ?. | |
| triple | 3/2 | o o o | 9/4 | o. o. o. |
| 3/4 | o o o | 6/8 | o. o. o. | |
| 3/8 | ? ? ? | 6/16 | ?. ?. ?. | |
| quadruple | 4/2 | o o o o | 12/4 | o. o. o. o. |
| 4/4 | o o o o | 12/8 | o. o. o. o. | |
| 4/8 | ? ? ? ? | 12/16 | ?. ?. ?. ?. |
