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Handout Four
Lesson Four
So You Think You Can Tell The Time?
Let's now take it a step further for a fuller understanding of time signatures, and start off with “Simple Time”.
In essence, this means that the beat NOTE can be equally divided into two lesser notes of equal value.
Let's Take Some “Simple” Examples
How would you describe the following time signatures:-
2/4 Simple Duple Time, where each beat is a Crotchet or it's equivalent.
3/4 Simple Triple Time, where each beat is a Crotchet or it's equivalent.
4/4 Simple Quadruple Time, where each beat is a Crotchet or it's equivalent.
Indeed a “Simple” way of working things out to be understandable.
Examples
Grouping the notes to form beats helps form signatures
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Compound Time
Now let's “Compound” Matters
When we move on to look at the “Compound” time signatures, the equation changes by
use the division by three.
A “Compound” signature is instantly recognisable by seeing that the top figure is more than four.
Let's now examine the 6/8 signature:-
The 6 is more than four = Compound
Divide the 6 by three = Compound Duple Time
Now that we realise that the beat note is in fact a dotted note, it stands to reason that the bottom
figure viz. the 8, give us the value of the dot. In this case a Quaver.
If the dot is a Quaver, then the beat note has to be a dotted Crotchet.
= Compound Duple Time, where the beat note is a dotted Crotchet or it's equivalent.
OK! now try these:-
9/8 Compound Triple time, where the beat note is a dotted crotchet or it's equivalent.
12/8 Compound Quadruple time, where the beat note is a dotted crotchet or it's equivalent.
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