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An introduction to music theory
An introduction to music theory

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Group 1: identifying time signatures

Activity

Match the time signatures, 3/2, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 and 3/8 to bar numbers 1–5.

Using the following two lists, match each numbered item with the correct letter.

  1. 3/4

  2. 2/4

  3. 4/4

  4. 3/2

  5. 3/8

  • a.Bar 5

  • b.Bar 3

  • c.Bar 1

  • d.Bar 2

  • e.Bar 4

The correct answers are:
  • 1 = c
  • 2 = d
  • 3 = b
  • 4 = e
  • 5 = a

Answer

Bar 1: 3/4 There are three crotchet beats made up from a minim plus two quavers.

Bar 2: 2/4 The beaming shows two crotchet beats.

Bar 3: 4/4 The time values add up to four crotchets in total. Notice that the first two quavers cannot be beamed together since the beam would cross the middle of the bar.

Bar 4: 3/2 The dotted minim plus crotchet gives two minims and the bar is completed with another minim.

Bar 5: 3/8 There are three quaver beats. Notice that the four semiquavers plus the quaver can all be beamed together.