For the last few blog articles, we’ve discussed our fundamental chords & scales and where they come from. Now, it’s time to discuss Rhythm.
When concerning rhythm, the first thing to know is how a musical time signature functions.
A Time Signature determines two things: 1) How many steady pulses there are per measure; and 2) what common time value is deemed a “pulse”.
4/4 = Common Time = The Standard Time Signature of Western Music Theory
Measure = a consistent time interval consisting of X number of steady pulses representing a Common Time Value.
In sheet music, measures are indicated by single bar lines.
Let’s break this 4/4 time signature into two parts… We’ll call the top number the numerator and the bottom number the denominator.
Numerator = How many steady pulses are in one measure.
This number can be anything - such as 2, 4, 6, 12, etc…
For example, if you had 6/4, you would count steady pulses like: “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6…” Every time you say “1”, you have started a new Measure.
If you had 8/4, you would count steady pulses like: “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8…”
Denominator = What Common Time Value (derived from 4/4 time) is deemed a beat.
This is a bit more complex to understand than the numerator and there are only a few values this could possibly be.
The Common Time Values are derived from 4/4 as followed…
Imagine, if you had 4 steady pulses/measure…
Whole Notes:
One note triggered on pulse 1 and held through the additional 3 beats would represent 100% of all 4 steady pulses. A note representing 100% of all 4 pulses in Western Music Theory is called a Whole Note.
This note looks like an open circle, and if you had 4 whole notes per measure the time signature would look as follows: 4/1. The “1” in the denominator represents the Common Time Value of a Whole Note.
Denominator Number = 1 = 1/1 = Whole Note
Time Signature = 4/1 = 4 whole notes per measure.
In 4/1 time, one measure would count 1(234) 2(234) 3(234) 4(234). Each whole note begins on beats 1, 2, 3 and 4, outside of the (). The notes within the () represent the length of time each whole note is held for.
Half Notes:
Two notes triggered on pulse 1 & 3 and held through 1 additional beat would each represent 50% of all 4 steady pulses. A note representing 50% of all 4 pulses in Western Music Theory is called a Half Note.
This note looks like an open circle with a stem point up on the right-side, and if you had 4 half notes per measure the time signature would look as follows: 4/2. The “2” in the denominator represents the Common Time Value of a Half Note.
Denominator Number = 2 = 1/2 = Whole Note
Time Signature = 4/2 = 4 half notes per measure.
One measure would count 1(2)2(2)3(2)4(2). Each half note begins on beats 1, 2, 3 and 4, outside of the (). The notes in () represent the length of time each half note is held for.
Quarter Notes:
Four notes triggered on pulse 1 2 3 and 4 would each represent 25% of all 4 steady pulses. A note representing 25% of all 4 pulses in Western Music Theory is called a Quarter Note.
This note looks like a closed circle with a stem point up on the right-side, and if you had 4 quarter notes per measure the time signature would look as follows: 4/4 = Common Time. Thus, our Common Time consist of 4 - Quarter Notes/Measure. The “4” in the denominator represents the Common Time Value of a Quarter Note.
Denominator Number = 4 = 1/4 = Quarter Notes
Time Signature = 4/4 = 4 quarter notes per measure.
One measure would count 1234. Each quarter note begins on beats 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Eighth Notes:
Eighth notes triggered on pulse 1 2 3 and 4, as well as the beats in-between those pulses would each represent 12.5% of all 4 steady pulses. A note representing 12.5% of all 4 pulses in Western Music Theory is called an Eighth Note.
This note looks like a closed circle with a stem point up on the right-side with a wing, and if you had 4 eighth notes per measure the time signature would look as follows: 4/8. The “8” in the denominator represents the Common Time Value of a Eighth Note.
Denominator Number = 8 = 1/8 = Eighth Notes
Time Signature = 4/8 = 4 eighth notes per measure.
One measure would count 1&2&. Each eighth note would be triggered on each beat, accommodating for the beats 1 and 2 and the beats in-between that directly follow them. (We count eighth notes verbally like, “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and…")
Sixteenth Notes:
Sixteenth notes triggered on pulse 1 2 3 and 4, as well as 4 beats in-between those pulses would each represent 6.25% of all 4 steady pulses. A note representing 6.25% of all 4 pulses in Western Music Theory is called a Sixteenth Note.
This note looks like a closed circle with a stem point up on the right-side with two wings, and if you had 4 sixteenth notes per measure, the time signature would look as follows: 4/16. The “16” in the denominator represents the Common Time Value of a Sixteenth Note.
Denominator Number = 16 = 1/16 = Eighth Notes
Time Signature = 4/16 = 4 sixteenth notes per measure.
One measure would count 1e&a. We’re dealing with 4 even beats per quarter note now, so that’s what you have here. This is quite a fast note. (We count sixteenth notes verbally like, “1 e and a 2 e and a 3 e and a 4 e and a…”)
So there you have it. By now you should know that the numerator of a time signature represents an even number of pulses per measure and the denominator represents what Common Time Value is deemed a pulse.
The common time values in the denominator are limited to 1 = whole notes; 2 = half notes; 4 = quarter notes; 8 = eighth notes; 16 = sixteenth notes; and if you want… 32 = thirty-second notes. These are again standardized by the 4/4 Time Signature = Common Time.