ITS REALLY CLEARRRR, IVE READ SO MANY POSTS ON HOW TO FIND THE TIME SIGNATURE AND your video is the the easiest and clearest explanation for me to understand and I can try right after learning too ❤ thanks a lottt, I really appreciate your efforts
The PSC method is a great way to think about it. Don’t forget tho that the denominator (lower number /4 or /8 etc) in the time signature doesn’t mean anything if you’re not writing it down. It’s only spelling! If it’s just aural then just saying “it’s in 4” is all you need.
@@CraftyMusicTipsmy question is where does the snare land in different time signatures? In general, it lands on the 2 and 4 if you are using 4/4 time. Where does the snare land in 5/4?
Found this channel today Looking for music theory Totally got what you were teaching Plus I actually laughed out loud at your comments Really enjoyed the videos Thx man
Thank you! I've been battling understanding this forever! I understood the "pulse" and "count" parts (from previous music theory lessons), but your "strong" concept was the link I was missing before. Now I feel like I really get it. Thanks again.
Great lesson, you are a really good teacher. The only question from my side is: I feel like the example you provided at 2.40 is 1/1 instead of 4/4, since the notes are whole notes, not quarters. If I am wrong, can you please help me how to identify it more clear? Thank you!
Hi there! A 4/4 time signature means that you will count four beats in a measure, where each beat is represented by a quarter note. You can use a variety of notes (whole notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, whatever else.) within the measure, just make sure that whatever rhythm you play has the length (in time) of four quarter notes. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to play quarter notes for that time signature. In the example you’re referencing at 2:40, he is counting four beats, which is equal to four quarter notes because, again, each quarter note has a value of one beat. This is why a whole note can take up a whole measure of 4 beats and still have a 4/4 time signature- because the beats are being counted in quarter notes. Hope that helps!
Alright, 100% on the quiz, my second time sig video. This feels like it comes pretty natural to me, compared to other music theory content. Anyways, thanks for the lesson.
Thank you so much for this video man, it’s so simple and easy to understand with the way you explained it, I’m in my last year of school here in England and this video really helped as I need to understand this for some of my questions on my GCSE papers, and this method is so easy to understand so thanks a lot man!
Your video was not only very informative but also most entertaining! Learn and laugh - doesn't get any better! I did score 100 %, so the world is indeed a much better place. Go reckon! Thanks Mate for sharing your expertise and your humour!
wooh 100%!! Admittedly I've played musical instruments un the past (and as a kid even sung abit) but I was worried id maybe forgotten /got very out of practice, but no. Think music is like riding a bike, or swimming, or driving. Sure, you're better with practice, but once you've climbed the scary mountain that is first learning, yiu never really forget!
Awesome video!! The way I thought about it is that the key here is the thing round 6.30 about the pulse (bottom number) always being even as opposed to the rhythm (top number). Made me realise something really cool about how the rhythm is a kind of tension, like a random, possibly odd, number, and it finds its resolution in 'evenness' that is created by repeating that number until it aligns with something even. Because it's almost like on the first lot of seven or whatever there is a tension, and then the second lot of 7 in 7/14 is what resolves it.
Nice thought, but the main point of the pulse is that it’s an even pulse, regardless of how many beats within the bar (ie. odd or even amount). This is the top number in the time signature: how many beats. The bottom number is more related to the type of display of notes used in sheet music. Hope that helps
Type supports USB functionality along with HDMI support. Usually it is to receive power but Type-C can work in both directions. Just depends on your USB and if it draws too much power. Using a self powered drive can help with this. Also display link adapters can come in handy to give more ports 👍
This was absolutely fantastic and so incredibly helpful for my ADHD brain to comprehend and stay engaged. Loved the clear demonstrations, clear explanations, the way you tested our learnings and the fun editing. Thank you so so much 🙏🏽
Best way to figure out the time signature is just do a search for the sheet music and there it is under Bing or Google images at the beginning of the staff. Sometimes you can get different time signatures for the same song like: 4/4, 8/4, 12/8 - depending on how the person who scores it has picked up on the beat, and how they can save space by using the most economical time signature.
Non-musician here. What sometimes works for me is to start counting, and note when it "feels" right to start the count over. I can get lost or confused with odd signatures like 5/4 or 7/4, but once I've got them, I can usually find them again. Complex signatures like 11/4 or 19/8 usually throw me. (Lookin' at you, Don Ellis...)
But how to feel the bar, for example if I do some melody, I can feel every beat and I enjoyed playing my melody improvisation but I can't recognize the bar (1234=1, 1234=2, 1234=3, 1234=4) sometimes I exceed this bar and back to the start in the wrong one I hope you understand what I meant
A really brilliant video - thank you so much for making and posting it. Love the fun way you present it. Now think I might in real danger of actually getting the hang of this pesky subject that has eluded me for so long. To be fair though, I never claimed to be bright..... 😅
@@matthsewsmith I know it’s marked on the sheet music but some tests are long as hell. For example the timpani. The conductor doesn’t queue every single section.
How do I figure out what some riffs or lines (or whatever you’d call it) that I’ve come up with sitting just playing guitar alone? I come up with something then I go sit at the computer and try to lay it down but nothing adds up. I can’t play it with simple drums.
Best thing is to leave the computer for now just keep playing guitar coming up with various riffs and then write them down in tab form on paper it's better for the learning process. Then if you wanting to translate it to software later you can do that through any decent software like Ableton live , pro tools etc.
Yes good point, it's more common to have a 4/4 time signature, I personally prefer to think of songs in 4, and if necessary, group 2 bars of 2/4 together so they equal 1 bar of 4/4. The only time you'll likely encounter a song in 2/4 would be with sheet music, or if the style is either a country or samba rhythm, for some people those scenarios are rare/non-existent. Hope that helps!
On your first part of the video concerning time signature, with the 1, 2, 3, 4 pulse, why isn’t it an 8 count making it, in my mind, a smoother count for the pulse? Why would sheet music also show it as a four count? Forgive my ignorance, but I’m a 57 year old man with absolutely no training or experience, and currently trying my first go around singing in a 80s cover band. It’s starting out fun, but not all tunes carry the same, on the beat timing. The Sade song “Sweetest Taboo” has a weird drum timing that throws me off every time. When I hear the single snare I end up trying to land a lyric, single word, on it each time. That single snare carrie’s on for nearly the entire song. If I sing to the studio version of the song, I have no troubles with it. All the players in the band are lifelong friends of mine. But those players have lifelong experience and the Cat that plays the keys as well as the drummer can sight read music, which I have no idea what that even means. As well as our part time sax player. I believe if I can get a handle on this confusion that I will be able to listen to what the players have recorded for me, while I’m practicing by myself. The musicians, my friends, must be getting tired of me screwing up, though they would never be so cruel as to tell me about it. They are working hard to help me take baby steps. I sing the songs well enough pitch wise, so they say but certain tunes trip me up. I also run into trouble with syncopated bass. On the syncopated bass, it draws my attention away from the timing of the drums. Once again, I have no trouble singing to the studio versions. If anyone can truly assist me, I would greatly appreciate it. I apologize for babbling.
I knew the hidden pulse was a time signature of 4 4 Cause I started counting when you hit the first string.Then I counted it again and it came out to be 4 4
Good question. Kinda… 2 x 3/4 bars is relative to 1 bar of 6/4. 1 x 3/4 bar is relative to 1 x bar of 6/8, but 3 crotchets (quarter note counts) has a different “feel” to 6 quavers (eighth note counts). Hope that helps!
In your first example with the whole notes what’s stopping someone from counting any arbitrary amount between played notes? Couldn’t one just as easily count to 3 between each note you play?
Yes good call, as I mentioned: time signatures are relative. In that particular example (because no other instruments are indicating any fractions in time), any number of counts/beats will work, as long as the whole note is divided evenly between each division. Hope that makes sense.
This is where I get completely lost on reading music. If I made a guess (in my own head), 3/4 would be 1/3. I still sorta don't get it.. but thanks for trying.
I have an entrance exam for a conservatory and have never really studied classically, I find that It's really easy for me to find a time signature for regular songs I listen to or guitar playing (since I'm a guitarist as well), but my teacher plays the piano and plays random single note melodies, so no drums, no chords, I find it difficult to get it properly, do you have any advice?
Great question. Depending on the level of difficulty of the example, I may not be able to answer it correctly myself. The elements I would be looking out for would be:- -where the strong beats are amongst the melodic phrases -are there any repeated rhythmic phrases? -do any of the phrases sound like they’re starting BEFORE a strong beat? Hope that helps
Sir, this was an amazing video. But I found myself just counting the strong which seemed easier to me than trying to count the notes in between. Is it incorrect to do?? Thank you, Gerry
Only tempo is varying,nots are sounding same,only you raise the tempo,we can't express in this in playing,may be we can write notations,bit sound same,if you have doubt write same notations in 7.4 and 7.8 ,and play it in same bpm,you you cannot identify both
Before i watch this, i hear people be like oh this is in 3/4 but when i try i can count to 8 as quick or not as i need to so i always get confused anyway lets see if my brain can understand this Edit: watched this video once AND I GET IT NOW! Maybe after years ill finally progress at the guitar, maybe i learn theory too I think before I was missing the strong beat when listening so I was just endlessly counting to 8
![What Is A Time Signature? [EXPLAINED]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hBh6DRYnCd0/mqdefault.jpg)
![What Is A Time Signature? [EXPLAINED]](/img/tr.png)
I’m 45 years old and I’ve been playing music for 30 years. This is the best explanation/lesson I’ve ever heard on how to identify time signatures
ITS REALLY CLEARRRR, IVE READ SO MANY POSTS ON HOW TO FIND THE TIME SIGNATURE AND your video is the the easiest and clearest explanation for me to understand and I can try right after learning too ❤ thanks a lottt, I really appreciate your efforts
The PSC method is a great way to think about it. Don’t forget tho that the denominator (lower number /4 or /8 etc) in the time signature doesn’t mean anything if you’re not writing it down. It’s only spelling! If it’s just aural then just saying “it’s in 4” is all you need.
Well said, should’ve mentioned that… oops!
Why?
@@ahaansarafbecause a piece of music could be written in 4/8 or 4/4 or 4/2 and sound exactly the same
@@TheMoonmoonmoon Ahh thank you
@@CraftyMusicTipsmy question is where does the snare land in different time signatures? In general, it lands on the 2 and 4 if you are using 4/4 time. Where does the snare land in 5/4?
You, sir, are a VERY good teacher. Thank you for sharing this 💕
Keep doing what ya doing. I am 53. And you have the magic of a good teacher. Besides being that amazing guitar player in a great band.
This is great! I got a 100% I'm trying to get better at this. I have a lot of trouble figuring out Radiohead, RUSH and TOOL time signatures. Goals....
Well radioheads time signatures are all over the place 😂
Look up Poly rhythms
Found this channel today
Looking for music theory
Totally got what you were teaching
Plus I actually laughed out loud at your comments
Really enjoyed the videos
Thx man
I actually got all of them! After years of being able to figure out time signatures! Thank you!!!
Same but I am struggling with trying to get some complex Bach stuff , that always throws me .
Thank you! I've been battling understanding this forever! I understood the "pulse" and "count" parts (from previous music theory lessons), but your "strong" concept was the link I was missing before. Now I feel like I really get it. Thanks again.
dude, im rooting for u, you've got great style & theme. thank you for the great explanation, it helped!
Here just to say that you are a true legend! Thank you for not only great explanation but for explaning in such a vivid and fun way! 🙏
It's not the easiest topic for me, but I start digging it now, thanks
A video that finally helped me to understand better, had to dig a lot for this but finally. Thank you!
Glad it helped! 😎
Great lesson, you are a really good teacher.
The only question from my side is:
I feel like the example you provided at 2.40 is 1/1 instead of 4/4, since the notes are whole notes, not quarters. If I am wrong, can you please help me how to identify it more clear?
Thank you!
Hi there! A 4/4 time signature means that you will count four beats in a measure, where each beat is represented by a quarter note. You can use a variety of notes (whole notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, whatever else.) within the measure, just make sure that whatever rhythm you play has the length (in time) of four quarter notes. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to play quarter notes for that time signature. In the example you’re referencing at 2:40, he is counting four beats, which is equal to four quarter notes because, again, each quarter note has a value of one beat. This is why a whole note can take up a whole measure of 4 beats and still have a 4/4 time signature- because the beats are being counted in quarter notes. Hope that helps!
you are underrated af bro thank you so much
Alright, 100% on the quiz, my second time sig video. This feels like it comes pretty natural to me, compared to other music theory content. Anyways, thanks for the lesson.
Thank you so much for this video man, it’s so simple and easy to understand with the way you explained it, I’m in my last year of school here in England and this video really helped as I need to understand this for some of my questions on my GCSE papers, and this method is so easy to understand so thanks a lot man!
It's soooooo easy to follow. Thanks a million, my friend
Your video was not only very informative but also most entertaining! Learn and laugh - doesn't get any better! I did score 100 %, so the world is indeed a much better place. Go reckon! Thanks Mate for sharing your expertise and your humour!
Oh my god I finally get it, thank you so much, the examples were a brilliant teaching device too. Please keep it up!
wooh 100%!! Admittedly I've played musical instruments un the past (and as a kid even sung abit) but I was worried id maybe forgotten /got very out of practice, but no. Think music is like riding a bike, or swimming, or driving. Sure, you're better with practice, but once you've climbed the scary mountain that is first learning, yiu never really forget!
Awesome video!! The way I thought about it is that the key here is the thing round 6.30 about the pulse (bottom number) always being even as opposed to the rhythm (top number). Made me realise something really cool about how the rhythm is a kind of tension, like a random, possibly odd, number, and it finds its resolution in 'evenness' that is created by repeating that number until it aligns with something even. Because it's almost like on the first lot of seven or whatever there is a tension, and then the second lot of 7 in 7/14 is what resolves it.
Nice thought, but the main point of the pulse is that it’s an even pulse, regardless of how many beats within the bar (ie. odd or even amount). This is the top number in the time signature: how many beats. The bottom number is more related to the type of display of notes used in sheet music.
Hope that helps
Your mic settings sound really good through my new headphones. Cheers!
thanks legend, I'm learning rhythmic dictation this helped a lot haha
Bravo this class is awesome!
No Detention today for me❤
Studying for my music theory exams and as usual crafty is there to save the day lmao
😇🤙
Type supports USB functionality along with HDMI support. Usually it is to receive power but Type-C can work in both directions. Just depends on your USB and if it draws too much power. Using a self powered drive can help with this. Also display link adapters can come in handy to give more ports 👍
This was absolutely fantastic and so incredibly helpful for my ADHD brain to comprehend and stay engaged. Loved the clear demonstrations, clear explanations, the way you tested our learnings and the fun editing. Thank you so so much 🙏🏽
Best way to figure out the time signature is just do a search for the sheet music and there it is under Bing or Google images at the beginning of the staff. Sometimes you can get different time signatures for the same song like: 4/4, 8/4, 12/8 - depending on how the person who scores it has picked up on the beat, and how they can save space by using the most economical time signature.
This video is called how to identify time signatures by EAR. Looking at the sheet music for the answer is a helpful option if you can’t figure it out
Anyone else click their teeth to count beats 💀
Yeah😂
Not everyone has teeth 😁
@@XANF2💀
@@Sharp2006RIP
I do. Im a drummer tho so its kinda easier lol
Thanks for taking the time and effort. Really helped! 🙏
outstanding content man, keep it up and you'll be big!
Much appreciated you for the educational video! 💪
Non-musician here. What sometimes works for me is to start counting, and note when it "feels" right to start the count over. I can get lost or confused with odd signatures like 5/4 or 7/4, but once I've got them, I can usually find them again. Complex signatures like 11/4 or 19/8 usually throw me. (Lookin' at you, Don Ellis...)
This really helps for my grade 2 piano thank so much
thanks man it's so so helpful!
Its kind of easy when u listen to a solo guitar but i becomes harder when the main instruments are like a bunch of synthetic instrument
Thank you for sharing this 💕
This was really helpful,thanks a lot!
I enjoyed it. You are the best!!
Thanks a lot sir ,it was really helpful for me
you made it much easier. Thanks a lot 🧡
wow this helped TONS thank you, I just stumbled across your page. subscribed!(:
thank you so much this channel is very helpful
Ayyyy loved this
Beauty. Cheers mate
Thank you for your honesty🤍
absolutely amazing
But how to feel the bar, for example if I do some melody, I can feel every beat and I enjoyed playing my melody improvisation but I can't recognize the bar (1234=1, 1234=2, 1234=3, 1234=4) sometimes I exceed this bar and back to the start in the wrong one
I hope you understand what I meant
This is what I dont get either. When are we supposed to know when the bar is over and the next one starts?
thanks you bro so much
very funny and excited explanation
Great. Id thanks for the tips man
100%! thank you, this was a great lesson
very helpful. Thank you.
"everything's a fraction" 😂👌
A really brilliant video - thank you so much for making and posting it. Love the fun way you present it. Now think I might in real danger of actually getting the hang of this pesky subject that has eluded me for so long. To be fair though, I never claimed to be bright..... 😅
"If there is druuuUUms" 😂😂😂
Great video but instantly subscribed for your sense of humour
Music should be fun
Thank you for reminding us 🙏
Cheers mate, yes definitely a conscious decision to enjoy the learning process
I always used to classify beats into 4/4 or 3/4 lol
thanks guys
Great!! Now make a video about how orchestra members keep track of rests and when they play
What do you mean it’s literally marked on the sheet music or the conductor queues your section
@@matthsewsmith I know it’s marked on the sheet music but some tests are long as hell. For example the timpani. The conductor doesn’t queue every single section.
If you can count, you should be fine
@@20centanimator78 There’s always got to be a fucking smart ass
The first verse of the "Great Deceiver" by King Crimson... there is a DRUM. ...but freaking Bruford.. .. in short, i never got that one part...
Is there a video explaning how to count complex time signetures?(let's say 7/8 changing to a 6/8)
Thank you very much x
Thank you!
thank you so much
What's the time signature at the beginning of a song named FUG by Cymande? It sounds like 4/4, but then it seems to change.
Now why can’t everyone explain it this way? Gosh, this actually makes sense!!!!!
great video thanks
I was convinced that the number 3 one was 6 8
GREAT!!!
Good video❤
How do I figure out what some riffs or lines (or whatever you’d call it) that I’ve come up with sitting just playing guitar alone?
I come up with something then I go sit at the computer and try to lay it down but nothing adds up. I can’t play it with simple drums.
Best thing is to leave the computer for now just keep playing guitar coming up with various riffs and then write them down in tab form on paper it's better for the learning process. Then if you wanting to translate it to software later you can do that through any decent software like Ableton live , pro tools etc.
I listened to it 4 x6 times and finally heard the 4/4.
💀💀
4/4 was the hardest for me too, had absolutely no clue on the first listen
thank you , it help me so much, but i still don't know How can I differentiate 2/4 and 4/4?
Yes good point, it's more common to have a 4/4 time signature, I personally prefer to think of songs in 4, and if necessary, group 2 bars of 2/4 together so they equal 1 bar of 4/4. The only time you'll likely encounter a song in 2/4 would be with sheet music, or if the style is either a country or samba rhythm, for some people those scenarios are rare/non-existent. Hope that helps!
@@CraftyMusicTips thank you very much
In my opinion he played a 2/2 cut time piece
On your first part of the video concerning time signature, with the 1, 2, 3, 4 pulse, why isn’t it an 8 count making it, in my mind, a smoother count for the pulse?
Why would sheet music also show it as a four count?
Forgive my ignorance, but I’m a 57 year old man with absolutely no training or experience, and currently trying my first go around singing in a 80s cover band. It’s starting out fun, but not all tunes carry the same, on the beat timing.
The Sade song “Sweetest Taboo” has a weird drum timing that throws me off every time. When I hear the single snare I end up trying to land a lyric, single word, on it each time. That single snare carrie’s on for nearly the entire song. If I sing to the studio version of the song, I have no troubles with it.
All the players in the band are lifelong friends of mine. But those players have lifelong experience and the Cat that plays the keys as well as the drummer can sight read music, which I have no idea what that even means. As well as our part time sax player.
I believe if I can get a handle on this confusion that I will be able to listen to what the players have recorded for me, while I’m practicing by myself. The musicians, my friends, must be getting tired of me screwing up, though they would never be so cruel as to tell me about it. They are working hard to help me take baby steps. I sing the songs well enough pitch wise, so they say but certain tunes trip me up.
I also run into trouble with syncopated bass. On the syncopated bass, it draws my attention away from the timing of the drums. Once again, I have no trouble singing to the studio versions.
If anyone can truly assist me, I would greatly appreciate it.
I apologize for babbling.
I knew the hidden pulse was a time signature of 4 4 Cause I started counting when you hit the first string.Then I counted it again and it came out to be 4 4
Bro funny and good lesson
Are 3/4 &’ 6/4 relative or am I misunderstanding somewhere ?
Good question. Kinda… 2 x 3/4 bars is relative to 1 bar of 6/4. 1 x 3/4 bar is relative to 1 x bar of 6/8, but 3 crotchets (quarter note counts) has a different “feel” to 6 quavers (eighth note counts).
Hope that helps!
Do you even play an instrument if you didn't immediately start counting when the first single note was played?
Well
Do you even think if you dont verbalize in your head "i am opening the fridge and then grabbing that milk bottle" each time that happens?
In your first example with the whole notes what’s stopping someone from counting any arbitrary amount between played notes? Couldn’t one just as easily count to 3 between each note you play?
Yes good call, as I mentioned: time signatures are relative. In that particular example (because no other instruments are indicating any fractions in time), any number of counts/beats will work, as long as the whole note is divided evenly between each division. Hope that makes sense.
Wowwww thank uuu thank u thank u
Thank you sir
This is where I get completely lost on reading music. If I made a guess (in my own head), 3/4 would be 1/3. I still sorta don't get it.. but thanks for trying.
I have an entrance exam for a conservatory and have never really studied classically, I find that It's really easy for me to find a time signature for regular songs I listen to or guitar playing (since I'm a guitarist as well), but my teacher plays the piano and plays random single note melodies, so no drums, no chords, I find it difficult to get it properly, do you have any advice?
Great question. Depending on the level of difficulty of the example, I may not be able to answer it correctly myself. The elements I would be looking out for would be:-
-where the strong beats are amongst the melodic phrases
-are there any repeated rhythmic phrases?
-do any of the phrases sound like they’re starting BEFORE a strong beat?
Hope that helps
who else got spoiled by the captions on the 3/4 one
Finding the pulse would help using your example if you were in time…
Guilty, yes being able to count perfectly in time in that example with no count-in indicator of tempo was tricky
Thanks
Sir, this was an amazing video. But I found myself just counting the strong which seemed easier to me than trying to count the notes in between. Is it incorrect to do??
Thank you, Gerry
If you’re getting the correct answer then any variation is fine. If not, then revert to this method
Only tempo is varying,nots are sounding same,only you raise the tempo,we can't express in this in playing,may be we can write notations,bit sound same,if you have doubt write same notations in 7.4 and 7.8 ,and play it in same bpm,you you cannot identify both
Individual songs dont feel like they all seperate and without obsessed attachment . 2020 during covid
9:24 why cant this be considered 6/8? How is 3/4 even different from 6/8?
It comes down to how it’s played, or expressed. The thing to remember is that time signatures aren’t fractions
one thing I dont get is why canw everythng be 4 over 4
OMG LUV THIS personally I hate music theory but this is Acc making my life easier especially since I have a theory exam in 4days
I have the biggest 😊 right now cause I got the second one right!
Before i watch this, i hear people be like oh this is in 3/4 but when i try i can count to 8 as quick or not as i need to so i always get confused anyway lets see if my brain can understand this
Edit: watched this video once AND I GET IT NOW! Maybe after years ill finally progress at the guitar, maybe i learn theory too
I think before I was missing the strong beat when listening so I was just endlessly counting to 8
trying to figure out the timing on the intro riff to Apocalypse kid by johnny cage is a fake lol insane
I've been learning music since I was six and I still can't identify time signatures because of those stupid denominators 😭
7:14 8:39
I thought this was going to be about 7/8 or 9/8, but that's a paid for area :-)
And your first sample was also 3/4 or 5/4 ot 7/8 or ...