Lesson 4.4 Time Signatures Explained

Music exists in _ _ _ _ .

Another name for a measure is a _ _ _ .

The ​ (a)   number in a key signature tells us how many beats in a measure, while the ​ (b)   number tells us what kind of note gets one beat.

• top
• bottom
• third
• left
• right

Please familiarize yourself with the terms for note values outside of the United States.

Minim = half note

Crochet = quarter note

Quaver = eighth note

Semiquaver = sixteenth note

Match these British terms with our American terms.

Groups:

(a) Sixteenth Note

,

(b) Eighth Note

,

(c) Quarter Note

,

(d) Half Note

• minim

• semiquaver

• crochet

• quaver

We call irregular time signatures _ _ _ meters. (You learned this term in Lesson 4.2.) Both words mean the same thing in this context.

A large C in place of a time signature stands for _ _ _ _ _ _ time.

Which meter tends to be slower than the other meter?

• common time

• cut common time

Which statement is most true about common and cut times?

• Using these symbols is a fairly new practice, and you will never see them in music written before 1950.

• Using these symbols is a fairly old practice and not as prevalent in modern music as it used to be.