Bar Lines / Measure Lines Bar lines divide music in bars. Each bar has the number of beats indicated by the Time Signature. The first beat after the Bar-Line is usually the strongest beat in the Bar. (see double bar line)
Beat The rhythm to which you tap your foot in time with music. Also the rhythm of each bar which may be counted. Some beats are stronger than others.
Common Time Four beats per measure or bar
Meter the pattern of regular beats that defines a musical piece
Rest / Rests Rests last for the same number of beats as the notes which they replace. A rest in a bar or measure is a period of time where no note is played.
Time Signature A time signature is a device which shows how to count the time patterns in any bar. It is represented by either two numbers, a 'c', or 'c' with a vertical line through it. This is usually shown at the beginning of staves. These symbols give the number of beats to a bar.
Concerning the two numbers, the lower number represents the unit of time: it is written according to its value in terms of a semibreve. The number of top of a time-signature shows how many units there are to the bar.
The time signature is written on the stave just before the first note of the tune. A time signature with four quarter notes to the bar is written 4/4 (common time, also represented by a 'C'). The time signature for songs with two quarter notes to the bar is written 2/4, etc.
Triplet Three notes to be fitted into the time of two. Other numbers of notes may be grouped in the same way, but of course would then not be named a 'triplet'. For example, two notes played over three beats is called a couplet or duplet.
