2 | Music Reading

Beat and Meter

Peter Kun Frary

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Rhythm, the flow of musical sounds through time, has three components: beat, duration and meter.

music reading session

Beat

When dancing, you move to a steady pulse called the beat. The beat underlies music and creates rhythmic coherence. Here's what a beat sounds like:

Beat and Meter Basics | This chapter in video format (7:16)

Role of the Beat

Music is organized on a timeline, and the beat serves as the unit of measurement. In other words, notes are measured in terms of beats. To understand the significance of the beat, try singing a phrase from America while clapping the beat. Before the phrase begins, there are three beats to set the tempo.

“My” equals 1 beat, “'tis” equals 1-1/2 beats and “sing” equals 3 beats.

Tempo

Speed of the beat is called tempo.

Tempo is indicated in beats per minute (BPM) or with a tempo mark, an Italian word used to describe tempo. Here are the basic tempos from slow to fast:

largo, very slow and broad

adagio, slow and at ease

andante, moderately slow (walking pace)

andantino, a little faster than andante

moderato, moderately

allegretto, a little slower than allegro

allegro, fast (cheerful)

presto, very fast
How do you know the correct tempo or BPM? Use a metronome.

Metronome

The metronome is a device used to play a beat for practicing music and specifying tempo. Tempo is adjustable from largo (40-60 BPM) to presto (168+ BPM). For example, the Seiko metronome on the right provides the basics: a beat with an audible click and flashing LED.

Metronome App

A smartphone app may be used for metronome functions. I recommend the D'Addario D'Tools app: free at the Apple App Store and Google Play. D'Tools has features beyond a simple beat: metric accents, rhythms, customizations, and a tuner.

D'Addario D'Tools App | Available at the Apple App Store and Google Play.

D'Tools app image

The ability to keep a beat is fundamental to all musical styles. Regular practice with a metronome enhances your sense of beat.

Meter

As you sang America, you felt beats in groups of three: strong-weak-weak. This grouping of beats in a pattern of stressed and unstressed pulses is called meter. America is in triple meter because of the three-beat grouping.

The three most common meters are:

Duple meter, two beats in a strong-weak pattern (1-2).

Triple meter, three beats in a strong-weak-weak pattern (1-2-3).

Quadruple meter, four beats in a strong-weak-secondary strong-weak pattern (1-2-3-4).

The first beat of any meter is called the downbeat.

Conductor | The conductor signals the first beat of a meter by dropping his baton, hence the term downbeat. | Dover Clip Art

conductor image

Duple Meter

Sing Mary had a Little Lamb while chapping the beat. Feel the strong-weak (1-2) pattern? That's the feel of duple meter.

Not in the mood for singing? Listen to the duple (1-2) meter feel of On The Avignon Bridge:

On The Avignon Bridge | Frary Ukulele Band

Triple meter

Sing On Top of Old Smokey while clapping the beat and you'll hear the strong-weak-weak pattern (1-2-3) of triple meter.

Listen to the sound of triple (1-2-3) meter in Malagueña:

Malagueña | Frary Ukulele Band

Quadruple meter

Sing Mine Eyes have Seen the Glory while clapping and you'll hear the strong-weak-secondary strong-weak pattern (1-2-3-4) of quadruple meter.

Hawaii Five-O is an example of quadruple meter (1-2-3-4):

Hawaii Five-O | The Frary Ukulele Band

Study Questions

Meter can be heard and felt while listening to music. Listen to the pieces below. Find the downbeat and count the beats between accents. Listen for repeating beat patterns of 2, 3 or 4.

What meter is used in Ukulele Blues? [answer below]

What meter is used in Etude Op 60 No. 14? [answer below]

Ukulele Blues | Frary Ukulele Band

Etude Op. 60 No. 14 | Fernando Sor | Peter Kun Frary

On the next page, you'll explore note duration and counting rhythm.

Answers

Ukulele Blues is in quadruple meter.

Etude Op 60 No. 14 is in triple meter.

Vocabulary

beat, metronome, tempo, tempo mark, duration, rhythm, largo, adagio, andante, andantino, moderato, allegretto, allegro, presto, meter, duple meter, triple meter, quadruple meter