Understanding Time Signatures

[piano6861]

@jordanrichards320, You're exactly right, a given note can be any lenghth. It is determined by the performer. But the time signature influences the "feel" of the piece. 3/4 is waltz time. There is a feeling of accent on the first beat. 2/4 is march time, again with an accented feel on the first beat.

[jordanrichards320]

What changes a song from being one time signature to another? If a rests count as beats, and beats can be divided into any fraction of time, then why couldn't a 4/4 signature be written as 7/5?

I mean, it just seems like a ten second tone could be called a quarter note if given the right tempo, but so could a seven second tone.

[JimJimersonChalmers]

This is FANTASTIC. You helped me a lot, thanks.

[thinsulite]

THANK YOU! This helped so much. I kept getting confused with all of the other explanations. The extraordinarily simple way you explained it was so handy.

[HistoryLvr91]

You just made Intro to Music Theory a whole lot better. :)

(For the record? I'm studying to become a music major currently).

Thanks! =]

[piano6861]

@HistoryLvr91 Best of luck with your music theory course!

[LetsTalkBusiness]

Thank you for the info, on a different note - did you narrate the introduction for Earl Nightengale's success tape series? You sound just like her!

[piano6861]

@LetsTalkBusiness Actually, I am not familiar with those tapes.

[xxfarts08xx]

I don't understand this! I'm doing my music leaving cert exam in june, which in America I think is SAT's or whatever your last exams in school are? I really need help, could you explain in a short comment? I don't understand what you mean with a quarter note and their equivilance? the whole thing just confuses me! please try and help by getting back to me in a reply xxx

[piano6861]

@xxfarts08xx A quarter note equals two eighth notes, equals 4 sixteenth notes, equals eight 32nd notes. These are all equivalents. They equal each other.

[backbeatbobby]

@xxfarts08xx count to 4 and thats one bar of 4/4 lol

[xenorun]

awesomeness thank you :)

[pyr666]

I'm 20 and this stuff STILL trips me up. probably because its hard to relate to actual music playing.

[chuckflatminor]

holy crap... thank you for the much needed revelation of time signature... i just taught this lesson to my wife... we love you. thanks!

[piano6861]

So glad you enjoyed the lesson.

[piano50]

Excellent speech!

[piano6861]

Hope you learned something!

[piano50]

Thank you for posting your wonderful information for all of us to hear.

[piano50]

Now I understand time signatures WAY better! You're videos REALLY helped me learn about time signatures a lot. Thank you! Now I'm so excited that I understand time signatures! Yeah!

[FeBlandMusic]

Hi Benita, I am gradually working my way through your entire oeuvre! I have had some massive exciting news today which I will write to you about en prive. I only hope people appreciate just how much you are giving and contributing to this website. You are a giver. Can I just repeat that, you are a giver! Very best wishes, Jonathan

[piano6861]

Thanks so much for appreciating my efforts, and I look forward to your news.

[Tweeny83]

this is so wonderful!! I happen to have the best teacher in the world! my mum who is musican.. She has and still is the hero of my whole life as a musican! I don´t think I understood so much about time-signatures at the time but as I got older I do see the real meaning of it!! u are so charming! I will add you to my favourite!

[ThePianistZ]

Well said. I pretty much have most of the time signatures inplanted in my blood. I dont even have to think about it anymore. I think that time signatures and sight reading just comes from experience. The more you practice, the more you will get it faster. Thanks alot, great video.

[piano6861]

Thank-you. This video was made to help the younger players.

[ellandelachapelle]

I was lucky then! My teachers told me this (the real meaning of time signature) at an early stage! (one of my teachers though was a sergeant major. She used to shout "ONE and TWO and THREE and FOUR!" while I was playing!)(that was 40 years ago and I still suffer from cramped fingers when someone is listening to me.)(I learned NOT to be a military sort of teacher!)

[piano6861]

ellandelachelle- I'm sure you are a wonderful teacher!

[ellandelachapelle]

How charming you are! I haven´t really seen your face before! Comment: yes but don´t forget that music is a bit more than maths! (you can´t capture the EXACT music in those little bitty black dots.) Have you tried make your pupils waltz? (in 3/4 I mean.)

[piano6861]

ellandelachapelle- Your point is so true. That day my mini lesson was about music semantics.

[RWAbacus]

I really like your series of music lessons. I wish I had this kind of introduction as you just gave here. I didn't. Again 5-stars for you!

[piano50]

This is such wonderful information! Thank you so much for the information.

[DukeRightious]

Great teacher you are!

Best,

Duke

[piano6861]

Hello, Duke! Thank-you!

[LVB1770]

Thanks Benita. Being a drummer has helped my piano playing a lot. The last band I played drums with we played 4 to 5 different time signatures and styles in one composition.

I am working on Scriabin's prelude Op.11 #21

which goes from 3/4, to 5/4, to 3/4 to 6/4,ect...I don't have that much trouble with that as I do with Scriabin changing from bass clef to treble clef in the left hand all over the place and in odd places. It really hurts my brain sometimes!

[piano6861]

Hello,LVB1770! Being a drummer certainly is an advantage! You don't have much choice but to understand all rhythmical aspects!

[edenmaze]

Thank You Benita! :~D

Different time signatures, are VERY CHALENGING. I'm a Rock-n-Roll 4/4 guy myself, But I grew up listening to some serious PROGRESSIVE ROCK. Bands like RUSH, and YES. They used all kinds of different time signitures. One of RUSHS' favorite alternative time signatures is 7/8.

The bridge section leading into the solo section in their hit song RED BARCHETTA is in the 7/8 time frame.

It's really quite amazing. :~D

[hrumphga]

Yeah, Benita, I teach the same concept, and my kids jump on that, except I relate it to money and pizza, and they get excited about it. (I'm so practical about it.) Thanks for sharing.

[musicreateur]

Thank you Benita for sharing this time signature video with us! I certainly will use this idea for my students!

[1992peter]

Very Very Interesting Benita Rose.

I'm gonna have to rate you ***** but even that isn't enough.

But I'm also gonna need to place ya into my favorite's list but I'm sure you don't mind.

LOL

GOOD SPEECH

[DunoLa]

Wooo music lessons & teaching=) thanks!!

[littlecherubs]

This was great and I liked your accent!!

[aawpiano2007]

Thank you for sending this video to us!