Group 2: identifying simple and compound time signatures
Activity 1
When identifying simple and compound time signatures, identify the beat first – is it, for example, a minim? Then count how many beats there are in the bar. Remember, too, to consider the beaming.
Match the time signatures, 3/2, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8 to bar numbers 1–6.
3/2
Bar 1
4/4
Bar 2
6/8
Bar 3
3/4
Bar 4
9/8
Bar 5
2/4
Bar 6
Using the following two lists, match each numbered item with the correct letter.
3/2
4/4
6/8
3/4
9/8
2/4
Bar 1
Bar 2
Bar 3
Bar 4
Bar 5
Bar 6
- 1 =
- 2 =
- 3 =
- 4 =
- 5 =
- 6 =
Answer
Bar 1:3/2 There are three minim beats in the bar.
Bar 2:4/4 There are four crotchet beats in the bar. Notice that the beaming for the quavers cannot extend across the middle of the bar.
Bar 3:6/8 The beaming shows the first dotted-crotchet beat, and the second consists of a quaver/crotchet rhythm.
Bar 4:3/4 Six quavers in 3/4 can all be beamed together. In 6/8 the beaming of the quavers would have to show the division of the bar into two dotted crotchets: the first three quavers and the last three would be beamed separately.
Bar 5:9/8 The beat is a dotted crotchet and there are three of them.
Bar 6:2/4 Despite the rhythmic complexity, the beaming shows two crotchet beats.
OpenLearn - An introduction to music theory
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