Time Signatures
At the beginning of each piece of music, after the treble clef, is the time signature.
The time signature indicates the number of beats per bar (the top number) and the type of note receiving one beat (the bottom number). For example:
Thus in * time there must be the equivalent of 4 quarter note beats per bar, e.g.:
* is the most common time signature and is sometimes represented by this symbol called common time.
Other time signatures used in this book are^ and ) time.^ indicates 3 quarter note beats per bar, e.g.:
) time indicates 2 dotted quarter note beats per bar, which can be divided into 2 groups of eighth notes as such:
) is an example of compound time because the beat is a dotted note.* and ^ are examples of simple time because the beat is an undotted note.
