How Do You Count Beats In A Song?
• Memorize what the numbers in a time signature mean. The top number is how many beats are in a measure (bar). The bottom number represents the count. In simple time, a two represents a half note (minim), a four represents a quarter note (crotchet), an eight represents an eighth note (quaver), and so on. • Simple time is time signatures such as 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 4/8, etc. The main beat is a single note that is not dotted. • Compound time involves time signatures such as 6/8, 9/8, 12/8, etc. The main beat is a dotted note, such as a dotted quarter note (dotted crotchet). • Non-complex time signatures are also called after the number of beats in a bar. Simple duple time is 2/2, 2/4, etc., whereas compound duple time is 6/8 etc. Triple time is three beats in a bar; quadruple time is four, etc. • Complex time signatures have an irregular beat: not each beat is the same length. • Some time signatures could be either simple or compound, eg: 3/8 could be three eighth note (quaver) beats per bar,
