## Time Signature

The time signature is the pair of numbers after the clef. The top number says how many beats are in each measure; the bottom says which note value gets one beat.

In 4/4 there are four beats per bar and a quarter note is one beat. In 3/4 there are three, which is why waltzes feel like they do. In 6/8 the eighth note is the beat and they group in twos of three.


## How To Spot Time Signature

Two numbers stacked at the start of the piece, right after the key signature. It is written once and holds until it changes.


## Find It In Thirty Seconds

Read the time signature of any piece, then count that many beats per measure through the first line. If the count comes out even at every bar line, you have read it right.

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.