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The time signature opposite
means that there are 3 quavers in every bar.
Usually
when we see this time signature it is counted as 1 beat in the
bar.
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3
8 |
The
time signature opposite tells us that there are 6 quavers in
each bar.
Sometimes this is counted as 6 separate beats but more commonly
it is counted as 2 beats in the bar so each beat is worth 3
quavers. |
6
8 |
The time signatures above are called compound
time because the main beats are dotted crotchets -
The more common time signatures like -
2 3 4 2 3
are called simple time.
4 4 4 2 2 |
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The notes opposite are called semiquavers,
they are like quavers but they have 2 tails.
You will also notice that semiquaver rests also
have 2 tails. |
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You can see from the note pyramid
that there are 2 semiquavers in every quaver or 4 in every
crotchet – which means they are 1/4 beat notes. |
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We now know semibreves, minims, crotchets and
quavers but what about when a composer wants a note that lasts
for 3 beats or 1 ½ beats?
Look
at the example and you will see that the minim in the first bar
and the crotchet in the second bar have small dots after
them, this dot means the note is longer by half its value look
at the examples below.
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This
minim is 2 beats add ½ of 2 which is one and you have a 3 beat
note. |
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This crotchet is 1 beat add ½ of 1 which is a 1/2
and you have a note that lasts for 1 ½ beats.
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Sometimes at the start of a piece of music you
may see a note by its self (see opposite) this is called an
upbeat.
The
composer has borrowed the last beat from the final bar of the
music so at the end of the piece you will notice that there are
only 2 beats in the last bar.
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