Understanding Compound Time Signatures
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Today’s article is about Compound Time Signatures in sheet music. While this term may sound a little intimidating, the idea behind it is pretty straightforward.
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What Are Time Signatures?
Before we delve into compound time, let’s quickly recap what time signatures are. In music notation, a time signature appears at the beginning of a piece or a section and tells us how the beats are organized within each measure (or bar). It consists of two numbers stacked vertically:
- The top number indicates the number of beats per measure.
- The bottom number represents the type of note that receives one beat.
For example, in 4/4 time, there are four beats per measure, and each beat corresponds to a quarter note (crotchet).
Simple Time Signatures
Up until now, you’ve probably encountered simple time signatures. These are characterized by:
- A top number of 2, 3, or 4.
- Beats divided into two equal parts.
- The main beat not being a dotted note.
For instance:
- In 4/4 time, the main beat is a crotchet (quarter note).
- In 2/2 time, the main beat is a minim (half note).
- In 3/8 time, the main beat is a quaver (eighth note).
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