## Measure

A measure — also called a bar — is the space between two bar lines. The time signature says how many beats each measure holds.

Measures are how musicians refer to a place in a piece: "from bar 17" is precise in a way "from the loud bit" is not. In 4/4 every measure holds four quarter-note beats, so the count restarts at each bar line.


## How To Spot Measure

It is the chunk of music between two vertical lines. Many editions number every system's first measure in small type above the staff.


## Find It In Thirty Seconds

Number the first eight measures of a piece in pencil. Then play measure 5 on its own. Being able to start anywhere is what separates practising from playing through.

Open any piece of sheet music on this site and do it now. Reading is a recognition skill, and recognition is built by finding things, not by reading about them.