Time Signatures - Simple and Compound Time
In Lesson 8 the time signature was defined, and examples of ^ and * time were given. These are both illustrations of what is called simple time.
Simple time occurs when the beat falls on undotted notes (quarter notes, half notes, eighth notes etc.) and thus every beat is divisible by two. In * time the basic beat is a quarter note, which can be split into groups of two thus:
Quarter Note
Eighth Note
Sixteenth Note
Other common examples of simple time are % and 
Two four time indicates 2 quarter note beats per bar, and three eight time indicates 3 eighth note beats per bar (rhythmically similar to three four time).
A beat can also occur on a dotted note, (revise Lesson 7), making it divisible into groups of 3. This is called compound time.
Dotted Quarter Note
Eighth Note
Sixteenth Note
The most common examples of compound time are ) and + The interpretation of these time signatures is different from those of simple time. ) does not represent 6 eight note beats per bar. Instead it represents 2 dotted quarter note beats per bar. This is calculated by dividing the top number by 3, to get the number of beats per bar; and dividing the bottom number by 2 to get the type of dotted note receiving one beat. This results in a different rhythm feel for compound time. Compare ) to ^ time, where they both can contain 6 eighth notes in a bar:
