Grade 1: Simple time signatures: Introduction

The time signatures you will need to know in grade 1 are:

2/4,  3/4  &  4/4.

Let’s look at each one in turn.

2/4 means two crotchet beats in a bar

The ‘2’ is the number of beats per bar and the ‘4’ indicates the beats are crotchets.  As you can see the time signature 2/4 doesn’t mean all the notes have to be crotchets but each bar must be the equivalent value to 2 crotchet beats.

Here is another example of 2/4 time.

The ‘2’ indicates beats and the ‘4’ indicates crotchets

Here is an example of 3/4 time.

3/4 means three crotchet beats in a bar

The ‘3’ is the number of beats per bar and the ‘4’ indicates the beats are crotchets.  Again you can see the time signature 3/4 doesn’t mean all the notes have to be crotchets but each bar must be the equivalent value to 3 crotchet beats.

Here is another example of 3/4 time.

The ‘3’ indicates beats and the ‘4’ indicates crotchets

Here is an example of 4/4 time.

4/4 means four crotchet beats in a bar

The upper ‘4’ is the number of beats per bar and the lower ‘4’ indicates the beats are crotchets. As above you can see the time signature 4/4 doesn’t mean all the notes have to be crotchets but each bar must be the equivalent value to 4 crotchet beats.

Here is another example of 4/4 time.

The upper ‘4’ indicates beats and the lower ‘4’ indicates crotchets

Grade 1: Simple time signatures

Grade 1: Simple time signatures

Download the following questions or write the notes on manuscript before completing.

Question 1

Add the time signature to this melody.

Answer 1

If you analyse each bar you can see that there is the equivalent of four crotchet beats per bar.  Remember that two quaver beats equals the same value as a crotchet and the minim beat is the same as two crotchets.  The dotted crotchet is equal to a beat and a half.

Question 2

Add the time signature to this melody.

Answer 2

If you analyse each bar you can see that there is the equivalent of three crotchet beats per bar.  Remember that two quaver beats equals the same value as a crotchet and the minim beat is the same as two crotchets.  The dotted crotchet is equal to a beat and a half.  This example includes the dotted quaver and semiquaver.  The value of these notes added together equals a crotchet.

Question 3

Add the time signature to this melody.

Answer 3

If you analyse each bar you can see that there is the equivalent of two crotchet beats per bar.  Remember that two quaver beats equals the same value as a crotchet and the minim beat is the same as two crotchets.  The dotted quaver followed by the semiquaver is the same value as one crotchet.

Question 4

Add the time signature to this melody.

Answer 4

If you analyse each bar you can see that there is the equivalent of three crotchet beats per bar.  Remember that two quaver beats equals the same value as a crotchet and the minim beat is the same as two crotchets.  The dotted crotchet is equal to a beat and a half.

Question 5

Add the time signature to this melody.

Answer 5

If you analyse each bar you can see that there is the equivalent of three crotchet beats per bar.  Remember that two quaver beats equals the same value as a crotchet and the minim beat is the same as two crotchets.  The value of four semiquavers is the same as a crotchet beat.  Notice in this example we have included a crotchet rest.

Question 6

Add the time signature to this melody.

Answer 6

If you analyse each bar you can see that there is the equivalent of four crotchet beats per bar.  Remember that two quaver beats equals the same value as a crotchet and the minim beat is the same as two crotchets.  The dotted crotchet is equal to a beat and a half.

Top of Page