What Does Four Four Mean?

This question was asked by Andy so I feel it is important to address. It’s important for me to address any question You have about music theory! So if you got one? Bring it on! ask here

WHAT DOES FOUR FOUR mean?
It means a piece of wood that is four feet by four feet – wrong topic oops!
In music Four, Four is what we call a Time Signature. Yeah, that’s a big music word with a very simple definition!

In simple terms it refers to the beat of the music. Listen to any song with drums and bass. Tap your foot to the rhythm section (drums & bass). That is called 'keeping time'

More Specifically, a Time Signature is simply the word for the SIGN placed at the beginning of a written piece of music. It is information for the musician about the pulse and rhythm of song. It is the SIGN that tells us how to play the song in TIME
Neat huh?

It looks like a fraction, ex: 4/4. (we say this as Four,Four)

A piece of music is divided into what we call measures. If you have ever seen a piece of written music - it sorta looks like a brick wall. In a wall, each brick is finite space. Similarly, each measure is finite space with a line on either side. (these lines are called bar lines)
Unlike a brick wall, each of the finite spaces in a piece of music has pretty music notes inside of it. A brick just has clay (not as exciting).

The Time Signature tells you how many beats/pulses are in each measure

Four, Four written as 4/4 is a time signature that tells us how many beats are in each measure. In 4/4 there are 4 beats per measure
Count 'em 1,2,3,4 - 1,2,3,4 - etc and so on


NEXT WEEK?
More fun with fractions (please don't have flashbacks to your second grade math teacher!) I promise it will be fun! We are going to take them apart and Make them Rock!
Til then? Listen to a piece of music, tap your foot, count 1,2,3,4 and say, "Hey I'm cool! This song is in 4/4 and I know what that means."

Well, most of the time...
If you find yourself counting 1,2 or 1,2,3 (like a waltz) THAT song is in 2/4 or 3/4

And I promise to explain why next week
Til Then keep tapping and listening. Hey! it might even make you a better dancer
XO
Meredith