Rhythm
Time signature
A time signature, written as two numbers such as 4/4 or 6/8, tells you how many beats each bar contains and which note value counts as one beat.
What do the two numbers in a time signature mean?
Written at the start of the staff or the tab, the time signature organises the pulse into bars. The top number gives how many units are in each bar, the bottom number gives the value of that unit: 4 for a quarter note, 8 for an eighth note, 2 for a half note.
In 4/4, each bar holds four quarter notes; in 3/4, three quarter notes; in 6/8, six eighth notes. The time signature says nothing about speed: that is the job of the tempo.
What are the most common time signatures?
| Time signature | Count | Where you hear it |
|---|---|---|
| 4/4 | 1 2 3 4 | pop, rock, folk, the vast majority of songs |
| 3/4 | 1 2 3 | waltzes, many folk ballads |
| 2/4 | 1 2 | marches, polka, fast country |
| 6/8 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 | ballads, Irish music, slow rock |
| 12/8 | 4 groups of 3 | slow blues, soul |
| 5/4 | 1 2 3 4 5 | Take Five by the Dave Brubeck Quartet |
In 4/4, beats 1 and 3 are strong, and beats 2 and 4 get the snare in rock and pop. In 3/4, only beat 1 is strong: BOOM chick chick.
What is the difference between simple and compound time?
In simple time (2/4, 3/4, 4/4), each beat splits into two eighth notes: 1 and 2 and 3 and. In compound time (6/8, 9/8, 12/8), each beat splits into three: 1 2 3, 4 5 6.
3/4 and 6/8 both hold six eighth notes, but they are grouped differently. Clap it: in 3/4, accent 1, 3 and 5 (three groups of two); in 6/8, accent 1 and 4 (two groups of three). So 6/8 feels like two rolling beats, 3/4 like three. That rolling triple feel is also the basis of swing.
How do you strum in different time signatures?
Each time signature has its own strumming pattern:
- 4/4: D DU UDU, meaning down on 1, down-up on 2 and, up on the and of 3, down-up on 4 and.
- 3/4: bass then two strums. On A, play the open A string on beat 1, then strum the top four strings on beats 2 and 3.
- 6/8: D D U D D U, one stroke per eighth note, accents on 1 and 4.
Set the metronome in the guitar toolbox to 70 BPM and count out loud while you strum: it is the fastest way to absorb a new time signature.
Key takeaways
- The top number counts units per bar, the bottom number gives their value.
- 4/4 dominates popular music; 3/4 is the waltz.
- 6/8 feels like two beats split in three, 3/4 like three beats split in two.
- Match your strumming pattern to the time signature.
Frequently asked questions
What does the C at the start of a score mean?
C stands for common time, another way of writing 4/4. A C with a vertical line through it means cut time, 2/2 (alla breve): two half notes per bar, counted as two quick beats instead of four.
How can you tell a song's time signature by ear?
Tap the pulse with your foot, then find the strongest beat, often marked by the kick drum or a chord change. Count until it comes back: 4 usually means 4/4, 3 means 3/4. If each beat naturally splits into three, think 6/8 or 12/8.
Is a slow blues in 12/8 or 4/4?
Both notations describe the same feel. 12/8 writes the triplets out directly: four beats of three eighth notes. 4/4 marked swing or shuffle gives the same result with a score that is easier to read.
Related terms
Practise in the workshop
Take it from theory to the fretboard
Open the workshop tools and see this idea across the whole neck. Free account, no card needed.