Time signatures tell us how beats are organized within the music. Here we'll look at several common time signatures and, most importantly for the blues, how they can help us understand duple and triple feels.
Key Concepts / Vocabulary
- Time Signature — The two numbers that describe how beats are organized.
- Bar / Measure — A section of music containing a specified number of beats.
- Top Number — Indicates how many beats or rhythmic units are grouped within the measure.
- Bottom Number — Indicates the note value used as the unit of measurement.
- 4/4 Time
- Common Time — Another name/symbol for 4/4.
- Duple Feel
- Triple Feel