Meter and Time Signature
Hannah Hill
8 min read
Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers time signatures and meter for the AP Music Theory exam. It explains how to decode time signatures (top/bottom numbers, the fraction trick), simple vs. compound meters, and duple, triple, and quadruple meters. It also discusses strong and weak beats (downbeat, offbeat, upbeat), asymmetrical meters, and common time signatures like 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 6/8, and 9/8. Finally, it covers hemiola and includes practice questions on these concepts.
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Question 1 of 11
In a time signature, what does the bottom number indicate? 🤔
The number of beats in a measure
The note value that gets one beat or beat division
The tempo of the music
The number of measures in a piece