Time Signatures: Everything You Need to Know
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Time signatures are easy in theory; the top number is how many beats are in a bar(i.e. what metre is it in), and the bottom number tells you what kind of note is the beat(4=quarter, 2=half, 8=eighth, etc.), but this concept can be pretty brain melting for people who are only used to reading 4/4 or 3/4 or other "simple" time signatures. Hopefully this video gives enough examples and explanations to smooth out this concept for most people. I might even do another video with just tons of examples, one after another, to practice reading and counting rhythms. Let me know in the comments if that's something you'd like!
Check out my video about how to learn all your scales in 24 hours!
• Learn All Your Scales ...
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Chapters
0:00 - Introduction
0:14 - Reviewing Common Time(4/4, 3/4, etc)
1:15 - Redefining Reality
2:30 - Cut time, 2/2, alla breve
3:46 - Learning pieces in cut time
5:26 - 6/8 and Compound Time Signatures
6:47 - Other Compound Time Signatures
7:54 - Take Lessons With Me!
8:33 - Subdividing in Compound Time
9:27 - Tuplets in Compound Time
10:21 - Complex Meter
11:21 - Mixed Meter
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Other instalments of this series:
Part 1: Rhythm Basics - • Rhythms: The Fundamentals
Part 2: Subdivision - • Eighth Notes, Triplets...
Coming soon!
Part 4: Swing: When Eighths Go Rogue
Part 5: Metric Madess (clave, hemiola, and all kinds of odds and sods)
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www.BradHarrison.ca
www.patreon.com/bradharrison
This video contains emojis that were designed by OpenMoji - the open-source emoji and icon project. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Special thanks to OpenMoji!
@timmysixxstrings 2 ай бұрын
This is an amazing lesson. I've been playing guitar for 25 years, mostly using only 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8. This lesson has my mind racing with new possibilities and new ideas for songwriting. Thank you so much!!
@BradHarrison 2 ай бұрын
So glad you enjoyed! Yeah, exploring other time feels is really fun and cool. And, pro tip, even really “weird” time signatures like 10/8 or 7/8 can feel really natural and easy to follow if they have a regular repeating pattern. I’m often surprised how non-musicians can groove out to something relatively complex if there’s a pattern to grab on to.
@timmysixxstrings 2 ай бұрын
@@BradHarrison Thank you! I will definitely have to look into those times as well. Excellent teaching!!
@timmysixxstrings 2 ай бұрын
@BradHarrison Songs like Led Zeppelins "Black Dog" have some amazing time changes, yet it seems to blend so smoothly, to your point.
@samuelg.5685 Ай бұрын
1
@AlecShernAPS Ай бұрын
I'm nearly 27 now and play casually each summer in a community band. Your videos have helped me reinforce and re-learn the topics I have forgotten about since high school. Thanks!
@NeraKitsune 2 ай бұрын
Man your videos are so high quality. Thank you for making such a byzantine world a little less confusing.
@BradHarrison 2 ай бұрын
My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed!
@Haakhin 2 ай бұрын
This is an amazing resource, quite informative. Thanks for making this video :)
@hasinaramaroson3734 Ай бұрын
Your video is very helpful, thanks
@anakinsworld8344 27 күн бұрын
Thanks fellow trumpeter and if I ever become a beginner band teacher, I will show this
@northernpianomusic Ай бұрын
Nice. Thank you. Will be adding this video to my music theory class.
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@glennlittle7955 26 күн бұрын
Best explanation I've seen. Well done, this is top notch. (Although you do seem to have some distain for 5/4. I've just written probably my best song using it.)
@BradHarrison 26 күн бұрын
Glad you enjoyed! 5/4 is just fine! I don’t have anything against it. One of my favorite tunes is Hang On by Lake Street Dive. It’s in 5.
@explodingmicrowave.4816 25 күн бұрын
tbh idk why our band teacher doesnt show this to us, this is 10x more simple than we get taught, and so much more easy to understand!
@BradHarrison 25 күн бұрын
So glad it made sense for you! Honestly, sometimes “simple” concepts are the hardest to explain. One of the reasons my videos take so long to make is because of this.
@timmysixxstrings 2 ай бұрын
I will have to watch this video over and over as I only understand the basic time signatures. However, this presents a great opportunity for me to learn and stretch my abilities. Wonderfully put together video. Thanks again!
@williamsanborn9195 24 күн бұрын
When I was taught how to count in 6/8 (or any other compound meter), I was always taught to count the strong pulses, or dotted quarter notes. So instead of counting 1 2 3 4 5 6, I’d count 1 + a 2 + a. I’m not saying counting the eighth notes doesn’t work because it does. I’m just saying that’s how I was taught.
@BradHarrison 24 күн бұрын
Yep! That totally works too!
@hyperseah Ай бұрын
I needed this video 2 years ago. I was so confused then.
@jeremiahsumalbag6693 2 ай бұрын
6:39 i remember playing that piece in band last year
@Scrolte6174 2 ай бұрын
LOL
@funny_colandertv5352 2 ай бұрын
C vs C with line on preview really bited me to see the video!
@__________hugo 28 күн бұрын
Thanks
@SynIMPFML666 Ай бұрын
Bass player. Tool, and meshuggah are my go tos
@kartheesh6913 2 ай бұрын
Glad your back, what took you so long?
@BradHarrison 2 ай бұрын
The videos take a real long time to make. I could do it a bit faster if I only did this but I also have a career as a performer and educator aside from KZfaq. Gigs and lessons take up time!
@kartheesh6913 2 ай бұрын
@@BradHarrison Ah i understand man, im surprised by how good your content truly is, keep it up!
@officialkensonmusicworld1246 Ай бұрын
Well Said Sir❤@@BradHarrison
@theatomicwolf2975 Ай бұрын
i have exam in one and a half week, u are gonna safe me💪🏿💪🏿
@JasmineGautavai 4 күн бұрын
I feel u my exams r tomorrow 😢
@theatomicwolf2975 4 күн бұрын
@@JasmineGautavai aight, goodluck!
@theatomicwolf2975 4 күн бұрын
Quick update...i failed ...today im gonna hear i have to redo this year...
@JasmineGautavai 4 күн бұрын
@@theatomicwolf2975 that sucks but I hope u pass ur exams in the near future
@JasmineGautavai 4 күн бұрын
@@theatomicwolf2975 and thank you 😁
@Ozone280 2 ай бұрын
As a 67 year old who's teaching himself to read music, I just don't get it - at all. I've never got it, and I'm no nearer getting it after your video than I was before. Time signatures are a total mystery to me, and I fear will remain so.
@BradHarrison 2 ай бұрын
Where are you getting lost? Are you comfortable with simple rhythms in 4/4? If not, that’s the place to start(check my two early videos on rhythms). If so, watch the video again, pause and review when necessary. Also maybe consider getting some lessons to talk it through with a teacher? Either someone local to you or I’d be happy to meet up online if you like. This stuff can be tricky at first but I’ve found it really is “gettable”. If you want to, you can do this.
@BradHarrison 2 ай бұрын
Rhythms: The Fundamentals kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kLB5lcll07OrY40.html
@BradHarrison 2 ай бұрын
Eighth Notes, Triplets, & Sixteenths: Everything You Need to Know kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mJxhntagsqnJpJc.html
@Ayel-wl4ix Ай бұрын
I came here to learn whatever rhythm is in music and I go out learning how to read music sheets. Now I'm thinking of writing music in music sheets to practice it (I've only been making music in a DAW)
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
Sounds like the video was helpful! Glad to hear it! Making music in DAW is fantastic, and something I only have a little experience in, but the world of music notation is also very rich and useful. Hope you find it helpful!
@Ayel-wl4ix Ай бұрын
@@BradHarrisonYes I forgot to say, thank you for these quality tutorials. You make it very easy to understand. Straight to the point. As a hobbyist in music production (aka bedroom producer) I've always wanted try writing music on a music sheet because that's what pros do but always been lazy to learn cause the idea of it is overwhelming. I didn't know it would be today I'd learn about music sheets. There's probably a lot more to learn but I could start with this knowledge.
@a.bendang.walling8838 23 күн бұрын
🥵 it's hard, I love music so much but phew love it 👍
@BradHarrison 23 күн бұрын
New time signatures can take some getting used to, but if you spend some time in each one and get into the groove, they’re really not too bad. It’s definitely a practical skill as much as a theoretical one.
@a.bendang.walling8838 22 күн бұрын
Okay thank you 😊
@luxferredesu3889 Ай бұрын
hey brad, are the videos in your 'music theory playlist' arranged in order from beginner to more advanced?
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
More or less. You could definitely get into the weeds as fas as debating which goes first, but they’re roughly in the order I teach them in. And thanks for the reminder because I should update the playlist based on recent releases!
@luxferredesu3889 Ай бұрын
@@BradHarrison Do you by the way have a list (or recommended website) of music theory topics starting with the most basic going up in difficulty? also thanks man, your videos helped a lot!
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
I don’t, but that playlist is a good starting point. Also, learn songs and when you find something new, research it and see where it leads you. Once you’ve got the fundamentals down, the musical world is your oyster.
@luxferredesu3889 Ай бұрын
@@BradHarrison Alright, thanks again man!
@xokaizson 27 күн бұрын
Have a 2 questions what are your thoughts on ai music ? Or you a fan of it? And also was wondering if classic music can you help sleep better ?
@BradHarrison 27 күн бұрын
So far, it seems that AI art has mostly been a novelty of limited utility. It can serve a purpose, and may continue to in the future, but I don’t think people are ready to find it terribly compelling just yet. But it’s only getting better, so we’ll have to see how things pan out in the future. Fall asleep to whatever you like! Everyone is going to have different preferences in that regard.
@__________hugo 13 күн бұрын
@11:28 "bars of different lengths in simple meter", that 5/4 would be complex meter, right? Thanks
@BradHarrison 13 күн бұрын
I generally consider 5/4 to be simple meter because you’re counting the quarter. But there are instances where you are in fact mixing quarter and dotted quarter pulses that feel like complex meter, but then you get into the discussion of if it should really be 10/8 instead. Sometimes these things are blurry and depend on context.
@mitchellfloden8397 Ай бұрын
The other aspect of time signatures that was not mentioned: the musical phrase. Which time signature best assists the musical sentence structure can be seen in the examples shown. Strange time signatures break the flow of music - unless that's the objective . . . to create an odd feel.
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
I guess that’s kind of implied by the notion of music “feeling” like it’s in 3 or 4, as discussed and demonstrated in the video. I sometimes do an exercise with students where you count in 3 over a piece that’s in 4, and vice versa, but cut it from here for time and clarity. As far as strange time signatures, I find many audience can lock into a groove if it’s regular, even if musicians find it unfamiliar. I’ve heard big groups groove and sing along to 5/4 and 10/8 no problem.
@TheRamblingSoul Ай бұрын
I'm starting to learn piano. What order should I watch these videos in? The playlists seem incomplete
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
Not sure what play list you're looking at but this is the bigger one: kzfaq.info/sun/PLDaNGknQ_wTh3eXyjB0smdEYSvqa-wJ1_ I just moved the order of some things to hopefully make them a bit more sequential. But this stuff is all connected, and people often learn it in a different order, so feel free to jump around to serve your own needs.
@EdgeSheeran942 16 күн бұрын
11:05 5/4 time would work as well
@user-wz3eh3or5v 29 күн бұрын
Please anyone who can help me and tell me about the name of the song that's used in 1:07 to explain the 3/4-time signature that has a diesis (sharp) I will really appreciate it because I was looking for this song for so long
@BradHarrison 29 күн бұрын
Minuet in G by JS Bach. ;-)
@user-wz3eh3or5v 28 күн бұрын
@@BradHarrison Thanks you have saved me I really appreciate it, God bless you
@nvdawahyaify Ай бұрын
1 bar of 6/8 sounds identical to 2 bars of 3/4 to me. And I've been playing the guitar for 20 years and the tin whistle for 19. It may just be my autistic brain, but trying to count along has always been an issue for me, because I could count the same piece in different ways, just feeling the subdivision differently than other people.
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
You’re not wrong! The difference is that one bar of 6/8 is two strong beats that subdivide into three eights for each beat. To make it the same in 3/4, the tempo would have to be quite high, and you’d basically be thinking of it in 1, subdivided into 3. It would also look cluttered on the page because there would be twice as many bar lines.
@k_ldrarik_ldrari2734 Ай бұрын
Alguem legenda por favor!🙏 Br
@sandrafrancis3631 Ай бұрын
I was told 3/8 counts as simple time and is not really compound time because it's just 3 beats in a bar...?
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
You can make an argument either way, and it depends on context, but however you classify it doesn’t change how it works. Here’s a Reddit thread with some discussion on the topic. www.reddit.com/r/musictheory/s/60K8B2gSi0
@sandrafrancis3631 Ай бұрын
@BradHarrison Thanks for your reply. You're right it doesn't change how it works. It would only matter if you were taking a theory exam and you were asked a question about it and you gave the wrong answer according to them. I have taken some theory exams, I was told by one tutor that 3/8 doesn't count as compound time. She could have been wrong, for all I know? I'm in the UK so I don't know if that makes a difference? I will look into it, but it's not exactly a big deal music wise....your videos are very good and are very helpful! So thanks for that! 👍👏
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
I don’t think she was wrong; her reasoning sounds clear. But I group 3/8 in with 6/8, etc because of the order you usually learn things as far as theory and notation. And just remember, the only real rule in music theory is, do it the way your teacher taught you if you want the mark!
@sandrafrancis3631 Ай бұрын
@BradHarrison hi! I red the Reddit pros and cons. Seems more people go with technically it's simple, but, it could be seen as compound if it's in One and being divided by 3? That seems odd to me? I remember the thing about 3/8 is the same as 3/4 really, I can't see how 3/4 can be compound time? The thing of One beat in the bar seems very unusual to me? Wouldn't it still sound like 3/4? I think yes. I only really know music theory up to Grade 5 or so, so I'm no expert, but I think the tutor is right it's simple time, especially for exam purposes. Other than that, you could call it what you like!? 🤔 Thanks again! 😊
@number-1-Saxman 2 ай бұрын
How can anyone be confused about time time signatures? You explanation is excellent.
@BradHarrison 2 ай бұрын
It’s pretty common for beginners to get confused about them. Learning music and notation is hard for some people.
@electro-soma Ай бұрын
Lots of people, me included and many others judging by the comments and number of videos on this topic to try and explain it. I still don't get it at all and have been trying for years.
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
@electro-soma Did you find this video helpful? If not, what’s the first thing that you stumbled on? Did you watch the first two videos in the series as a foundation?
@electro-soma Ай бұрын
@@BradHarrison Hi - Yes I watched the other videos. To be honest I found your delivery a little too fast, though I could slow down the playback speed! It's difficult to say what I stumbled on. I think it's a disconnect between real world examples and watching graphics on a video. It doesn't really hit home with me. I'm not sure. I have a hard time trying to interpret this into real world examples. I don't play any instruments as such. I have synths and drum machines and mainly upload EDM stuff. There's plenty of electronic music that isn't 4/4 so I'm just trying to understand how to apply that on a sequencer. Like many people I find music theory pretty baffling to be honest. There's something about it that is so imperceptible that makes it difficult to grasp. I've subscribed and will watch more.
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
@electro-soma it’s tough stuff and it’s impossible to nail the delivery speed for everyone. Feel free to pause or review when necessary! It also makes a lot more sense when you apply it to your own instrument and playing. I’m sure you can feel the difference between music in 3 and music in 4, right? If not, that’s the thing to start with. Hear and feel the strong pulse and cycles of 3 or 4. Count along. The rest of key signatures is just how it’s written. 6/8 and 6/4 sound the same but look different. If you’re not playing an instrument and reading, that difference just isn’t going to affect you much. Hope that helps!
@Jonas-Seiler 29 күн бұрын
Time signatures have no musical meaning and are strictly a notational device. But for some of them it’s convenient to (incorrectly) say they represent a certain meter to simplify discussion.
@BradHarrison 29 күн бұрын
The bottom number is notational(that was covered in the video). But a why would you say the top number doesn’t represent meter?
@spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace Ай бұрын
how about time signatures where the bottom number is not a power or 2
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
Since the bottom aligns with a note value, what would that even mean? There’s no “third note” or “fifth note”. So in a traditional sense, that wouldn’t make any sense. There is however such a thing as irrational time signatures that use odd numbers in the bottom; they function as metric modulations. I’ll be covering those later but they’re not a huge priority because they’re incredibly rare. In the mean time, Adam Neely did a good video about them you might want to look up.
@Tovosx2 29 күн бұрын
In the Adam Neely video I really like his explanation of it. Think of cutting a circle for example 4/4 the "circle" is cut into 4 For 9/12 (12 is on the bottom)it's cut into 12. This makes the signature to be triplet like so 9/12 is 9 triplets per measure. You could do this with any number but western notation doesn't have names for notes like that (For example 4/5) Feel free to correct me I watched the video about 8 months ago 😊
@danag2841 Ай бұрын
I’ve watched 10 different videos and still can’t understand it
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
What part? What’s the first place you get confused. Have you watched the first two parts of the series?
@DNPlays634 Ай бұрын
Same
@DNPlays634 Ай бұрын
Same
@BradHarrison Ай бұрын
@DNPlays634 Same questions for you then! Where are you getting lost? Have you looked at the rest of the series? That foundation is crucial.
@VitorSilva-in2sc 26 күн бұрын
Oh that's me😅, gotta get way slower ill try to start from the beginning and see if it works
@bahmananvari9354 9 күн бұрын
Please speak slower- not in 6/8 but in 2/4😂
@BradHarrison 9 күн бұрын
Feel free to pause at any time to digest the information or inspect the visuals! Or go back and watch a section or even the whole video again. Good luck!
@bahmananvari9354 9 күн бұрын
Of course I can do that-that’s a given and we all know how to watch a clip. I just wanted to give you some feedback on your presentation. Unfortunately you do not seem to be open to it. Good luck with your videos.
@BradHarrison 9 күн бұрын
Everyone is going to absorb this info at a different rate! It’s impossible to get it right for everyone. Sometimes I watch other videos that I have to really concentrate on and review diligently, other times I just want them to get on with it! Happy to have the feedback and engagement! I’ve gotten way more positive than negative and I know many people review and rewatch my videos. And if you’d like to set up a lesson to dig into anything at all, I do online lessons too. Cheers and have a fabulous day!
@isaacadmassu6515 8 күн бұрын
You are too fast
@BradHarrison 8 күн бұрын
Feel free to go back and review any section that’s tricky! But really you figure this stuff out when you go a practice and dig into the music on your own. Any specific part you’re confused by?
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