Grade 3 Music Theory, Unit 1, Lesson 2 of 8

Simple or compound?

About 2 min to read, then 5 practice questions

Read the top number

3/4: three beats of two
6/8: two beats of three

A top number of 2, 3 or 4 is simple time: plain beats that divide into two. A top number of 6, 9 or 12 is compound time: dotted beats that divide into three. Both bars hold six quavers, but the beams show the beats.

Quick check

Is simple or compound?

Duple, triple, quadruple

Simple duple
Compound duple

The number of beats in a bar gives the second word: two beats duple, three triple, four quadruple. Put the two words together: is simple duple, compound duple,  compound quadruple.

Quick check

Which time signature is compound triple?

Remember

  • Top number 2, 3, 4: simple. 6, 9, 12: compound.
  • Beats in a bar: 2 duple, 3 triple, 4 quadruple.

Practise this: 5 questions, about 4 min

Answering from memory soon after reading is what makes it stick, so now is a good time.

  • XP for every question right first time
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