Friday, January 14, 2011

meter and time signatures

First, the answer to yesterday's question: "Out of the Depths" and "Shalom Chaverim" are in a minor key and "Sing, Sing Together" and "Make New Friends" are in a major key.

Time signatures come at the beginning of songs and tell you how the beats will be grouped or measured, how the beat will be divided, and which note will get the beat or pulse. You can choose any number of time signatures when notating a song. Study the time signatures section on your music information sheet to see the particulars.

Meter is the feel of how the beats are grouped. There are really only two choices in meter: two or three. Waltzes have a feel of “one, two, three, one two, three" while marches have a feel of “one, two, one, two". 

Print out this worksheet and follow the instructions to practice rhythms in simple two and three meter.