piano theory time signature?

Question

if the time signature is 4/4, the quarter note equals to 1 beat, whole note gets 4, and half notes get 2.. e.t.c.
If the signature is 6/8, the eight note equals to one but what do the other notes equal to? Like the quarter note, sixteenth note, half note.. dotted notes

thank you

Answer 1

The feel of 6/8 is two groups of 3. 1-2-3--4-5-6. A 1/4 note would get two of those counts. A dotted 1/8th would be 1 AND . . etc. Usually this time is predominately 1/8 notes so the count is one, two, one, two --- used for jigs.

Answer 2

When you're playing in 6/8 it's helpful to think of things in groups of 2 (1-2-3, 4-5-6). If you count the piece in 2 like that, the dotted quarter would be equal to one beat (the equivalent of 3 eighth notes). Two sixteenth notes are equal to one eighth note. The quarter note is equal to 2 eighth notes. The half note is equal to 4 eighth notes.

Answer 3

Here is how it works. 6/8 is called a COMPOUND meter, and it is three-based, not two as is 4/4. However proportions remain the same, that is 2 eighth notes still equal a quarter note. So, by doing simple math, we find that there would be 3 quarter notes in a measure. However because it is a COMPOUND meter, it doesn't gracefully divide into 3, it wants to divide into two. When it divides into three, that is a rhythmic device called a hemiola. So, in 6/8, the dotted quarter gets the big beat (really 3 small beats)and there are two per measure. 9/8 and 12/8 are also compound meters, and they divide the same way - 3 and then 4 big beats per measure (but 9 and 12 small beats). 16th notes are equal to two eighth notes and so on.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

If the time signature is 6/8, there are six beats in the measure and the eighth note gets the beat.

In 6/8, a
quarter note equals 2 beats
a sixteenth note equals 1/2 beat
a half note is 4 beats
a dotted quarter note equals 3 beats

Hope this helps!

ruby red rose
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Answer 5

in 6/8 time, the 8th note equal one beat, so that there are six of them in each measure. The other notes stack up like this:

quarter - 2 beats
dotted quarter note - 3 beats
Half note - 4 beats
dotted half note - 6 beats

However, professional musicians count 6/8 as two beats rather than six. This time signature is called a complex time signature. One beat is equal to a quarter note plus a dot. Its said to be complex because it requires two symbols to represent one beat. You can also think of it as two triplets per measure.

Good question. But if you're studying music, your most certain path through the arcane musical landscape is to take the instruction from your teacher in the order it is given. If you try to jump ahead, you can become very confused.

Answer 6

In 6/8 like you said the 8th note gets 1 beat. So this means that the quarter gets 2, the 16th gets 1/2, the half note gets 4 and so forth. It's usually divided into 2 sections of 3 so that it has the familiar oom-pah-pah feel to it but it can be broken up into 3 sections of 2 which would make it feel a bit different but the values would still be the same.

Answer 7

All of the notes receive double their value in 6/8 time. This is because there are always two eighth notes in a quarter note, no matter what "gets the beat." So if the eighth note gets the beat, and there are two eighth notes in a quarter note, then a quarter note gets two beats. Simply divide up all of the notes to figure out how many eighth notes they would get, and then that number is how many beats they are in 6/8.

This only works for slow 6/8 time. For fast 6/8, it's a little different--I'd ask your teacher to explain it to you.

Answer 8

I'm going to have to disagree with some of the other answers. Speaking from a music "theory" standpoint, 6/8 time signature is usually written as a triple meter, rather than a duple meter...meaning the steady heartbeat of each measure is based on a beat sub-divided into three instead of two pulses. Like, ONE-two-three-FOUR-five six. BUT...(big but)...6/8 can very easily be written as a duple. Although not usually done, it can feel like, ONE-two-THREE-four-FIVE-six.

Time signature...better referred to as "meter"...can be manipulated to produce any kind of feel the composer wants. The determining factor has to do with how each beat is sub-divided. I agree with what a couple of other responders said about asking, and listening, to your teacher. AND, don't get so wrapped-up in the technical aspects of music. Enjoy the playing.

Answer 9

the "eighth" note equals to one beat,

everything else gets twice of it's face value: quarter gets two
beats, sixteenth gets half beat, dotted half gets 6.....

Answer 10

Of course I am sticking my nose in. I do better when I understand the mechanics of things. You probably would find music theory fascinating. It works together like math, it is like a miracle how all that "stuff' works together, only God could have made music. Only God could have come up with mathematics. Look at the set theory in music, it is to me, "sorta" like the Calculus of music. I am not any where near that level. I am finding new things now. There is a test online re music. I printed it out and am going to learn the material I did not know. I like the Benner books. I have an Idiots Guide too, but it is pretty basic. I love studying music. I have learned and am learning a lot from the study of music. Not planning to quit. Music is good for your mind and soul.