Level 1 (like Grade 1) · Unit 5 of 24
Beats, bars and time signatures
Music is cut into bars of equal length. The time signature says how many beats fill each bar.
By the end you will be able to:
- read 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures
- count the beats in a bar
- complete a bar with the right notes or rests
Learn
The beat
The beat is the steady pulse you tap your foot to. Some beats feel stronger: in a march you feel ONE-two, ONE-two; in a waltz, ONE-two-three.
Bars and bar lines
Bar lines cut the music into bars, and every bar holds the same number of beats. The first beat of each bar is the strong one. A double bar line marks the end.
Time signatures
The two numbers at the start are the time signature. The top number says how many beats are in each bar; the bottom number says what kind of note each beat is: 4 means crotchet beats, 2 means minim beats and 8 means quaver beats.
- 2/4: two crotchet beats (marches).
- 3/4: three crotchet beats (waltzes).
- 4/4: four crotchet beats – so common it is also called common time.
Your turn
Watch and listen, then practise with new questions every time – reading questions, and writing tasks you answer on the stave. Take the check when you are ready: 80% passes the unit.
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Level 1 is like Grade 1 music theory. These are Classfern’s own levels, not an exam board’s. Questions are made and marked by rules in your browser.