Five and seven

About 2 min to read, then 5 practice questions

Groups of 2 and 3

5/8: 3 + 2

7/8: 2 + 2 + 3

Grade 5 adds irregular time: , ,  and . Five or seven cannot be split into equal beats, so they are grouped in 2s and 3s, and the beams show the groups.

Quick check

Which time signature is irregular?

The groups can change

3 + 2 + 2

5/4: 3 + 2 crotchets

Seven quavers can be 2 + 2 + 3, 3 + 2 + 2 or 2 + 3 + 2; five can be 3 + 2 or 2 + 3. Read the beams, or the longer notes, to see which.

Quick check

A bar of  is beamed 2 + 3. How many quavers are in the second group?

Remember

Irregular: 5/4, 7/4, 5/8, 7/8.
Grouped in 2s and 3s; the beams show how.

Practise this: 5 questions, about 3 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
This lesson fills in on your course map

Start practising