Embedded Files
Metre
Metre
Lesson Objectives
Lesson Objectives
Aspire:
Aspire:
To understand the terms ‘simple’ and ‘compound’ in a musical context and to be able to identify 4/4, 3/4 and 6/8 in pop music through listening.
Challenge:
Challenge:
To understand the terms ‘metre’ and ‘time signature’ in a musical context and to be able to identify a 4/4 metre in pop music through listening.
Task One
Task One
Listen to this track and clap along with the pulse.
Listen to this track and clap along with the pulse.
Remember - PULSE is the main beat of the track. It’s the part which sets the speed and keeps everything together.
The speed of the music is also referred to as the TEMPO or the BPM.
What do we Know Already?
What do we Know Already?
In music, we group rhythms into small blocks which we call BARS.
You can have different numbers of beats within a bar but the most common number of beats is 4. This is why we count to 4 before you start to play in practical lessons.
What is Metre
What is Metre
The METRE is the number of beats per bar
The METRE is the number of beats per bar
Task One
Task One
Listen to the track again. This time, as you clap the pulse keep counting to 4 as you do it.
Listen to the track again. This time, as you clap the pulse keep counting to 4 as you do it.
Have a Watch of this Video
Have a Watch of this Video
What is a Time Signature
What is a Time Signature
Time Signatures tell us the metre of the music before we play it, which means we know how to count the beats before we work out the notes.
Time Signatures tell us the metre of the music before we play it, which means we know how to count the beats before we work out the notes.
Types of Metre
Types of Metre
There are two kinds of metre - SIMPLE time and COMPOUND time.
There are two kinds of metre - SIMPLE time and COMPOUND time.
SIMPLE time is where each beat is counted separately.
COMPOUND time is where beats are grouped together.
Each time signature has strong beats and weak beats within each bar.
Each time signature has strong beats and weak beats within each bar.
2/4 Time
2/4 Time
2/4 time was traditionally used for music in a march style (e.g. military music, wedding march, funeral march, fanfares etc). Now it is commonly seen in brief moments in songs where artists want to change the pace.
Listen and clap along, counting in 2s. Emphasise the strong beat:
3/4 Time
3/4 Time
The 3/4 time signature is mostly used for pieces in a waltz style, but there are some pop songs written in 3. There are 3 crotchet beats per bar.
Listen to the example - clap along and count to 3 for each bar. You should recognise this piece.
4/4 Time
4/4 Time
The most common time signature (it is also referred to as ‘common time’ as well as 4/4!)
Most pop, rock, folk, jazz and lots of classical music is written in this time signature.
Jazz
Jazz
Folk
Folk
Pop
Pop
6/8 Time
6/8 Time
6/8 is the most common compound time signature in popular music. Beats 1 and 4 are the strong beats in each bar and the notes are in two groups of 3. It can sometimes be mistaken for 2/4 or 3/4.
Simple Time
Simple Time
Compound Time
Compound Time
Changing Time Signatures
Changing Time Signatures
Songs don’t always stay in the same time signature. They often change for one or two bars mid-song to change pace. Here are some examples:
Songs don’t always stay in the same time signature. They often change for one or two bars mid-song to change pace. Here are some examples:
Summary
Summary
Metre is the number of beats per bar in music
A time signature tells us the metre of a piece
There are both simple and compound time signatures
There are weak and strong beats in bars - the strong beat/s change depending on the time signature but ‘1’ is always strong
2/4 is often for a march
3/4 is often for a waltz
4/4 is the most common
4/4 and 6/8 are commonly used in all types of music
The time signature of a piece of music can change
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