At the beginning of each piece of music, a time signature is placed after the treble clef.
The time signature indicates the number of beats per bar (the top number) and the type of note receiving each beat (the bottom number). For example:
In * time there must be the equivalent of 4 quarter note beats per bar. A dot after a notes, as in the last bar, indicates that the note is held for one and a half times its usual length.
* is the most common time signature and is sometimes represented by the COMMON TIME symbol.
Most Rock/Pop songs are in * time.
The ^ time signature indicates that there are 3 quarter note beats per bar.
The % time signature indicates that there are 2 quarter note beats per bar.
) time indicates 2 dotted quarter note beats per bar, which can be divided into two groups of eighth notes as such: