Lesson 8 Time Signature Exercises

The following symbols represent rhythmic values:


The notes and rests above can be organized in regular groups of two or four beats and divided by “Bar Lines”. The space between two bar lines is called a “measure”:

The constant number of beats between two bar lines is indicated at the beginning of each example by the numerator of a common fraction, (“Time Signature”). The denominator shows what unit is to be counted as one beat:

The rest for a complete measure is always , whatever the time signature may be, and it is always placed in the middle of the measure.
A note filling a complete measure is also placed in the middle of the measure except when shorter notes are written above or below it, to be sounded simultaneously with it. In such cases the long note is placed at the beginning of the measure.