METRE AND RHYTHM - THE "NUMERATOR AND DENOMINATOR"

The way we show the metre of a music piece is always with two numbers.
The upper number always tells us how many beats there are in every bar.
So this number can be: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 12.

The lower number shows us wich note will receive 1 beat, the counter unit.
This number only can be: 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 (32). More different notes do not exist !

the lower number 1 means: whole note.

the lower number 2 means: half note.

the lower number 4 means: quarter note.

the lower number 8 means: eighth noot.

the lower number 16 means: sixteenth noot.

You can practise a number of rhythmic figures on the excercise page. (Click here to start)