Time Signatures: Master the Basics of Musical Notation

Question 1

A time signature with a numerator of 5 indicates:

Accepted Answer

5 beats per bar

Answer

3 beats per bar

Answer

4 beats per bar

Answer

6 beats per bar

Question 2

A time signature with a denominator of 8 indicates that:

Accepted Answer

An eighth note receives one beat.

Answer

A quarter note receives two beats.

Answer

A half note receives one beat.

Answer

A whole note receives two beats.

Question 3

Which time signature shows that there are 3 beats in a bar, with a quarter note getting one beat?

Accepted Answer

3/4

Answer

2/4

Answer

4/4

Answer

6/8

Question 4

Which time signature indicates four beats per bar, with a quarter note getting one beat?

Accepted Answer

4/4

Answer

2/4

Answer

3/4

Answer

6/8

Question 5

Which of these rhythms matches the time signature 3/4?

Accepted Answer

♫♩♫

Answer

♩♩♩

Answer

♩♩♫

Answer

♫♫♩♫

Question 6

What's the main purpose of time signatures in music?

Accepted Answer

To provide information about the rhythm and meter

Answer

To indicate the length of the piece

Answer

To determine the key of the piece

Answer

To specify the instrumentation

Question 7

Which of these is NOT a factor to consider when choosing a time signature for a piece of music?

Accepted Answer

Length

Answer

Tempo

Answer

Mood

Answer

Instrumentation

Question 8

In a 4/4 time signature, which note receives one beat?

Accepted Answer

Quarter note

Answer

Whole note

Answer

Half note

Answer

Eighth note

Question 9

Which time signature means there are four quarter notes in a bar?

Accepted Answer

4/4

Answer

2/4

Answer

3/4

Answer

6/8

Question 10

How many beats are in a 3/4 time signature?

Accepted Answer

3

Answer

2

Answer

4

Answer

6

Question 11

What does a time signature of 2/4 NOT mean?

Accepted Answer

The half note gets two beats.

Answer

There are two beats in a bar.

Answer

The quarter note gets one beat.

Answer

It's a simple time signature.

Question 12

What does a fermata symbol tell you to do?

Accepted Answer

Play the note or rest longer.

Answer

Play the note or rest shorter.

Answer

Play the note or rest louder.

Answer

Play the note or rest softer.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a simple time signature?

Accepted Answer

12/8

Answer

2/4

Answer

4/4

Answer

6/8

Question 14

Which time signature has four beats per measure, with a quarter note getting one beat?

Accepted Answer

4/4

Answer

2/4

Answer

3/4

Answer

5/4

Question 15

Which of these is NOT a common time signature?

Accepted Answer

15/16

Answer

2/4

Answer

3/4

Answer

5/8

Question 16

What is the main purpose of a time signature?

Accepted Answer

To show the number of beats and the type of note that gets one beat

Answer

To show the speed of a piece of music

Answer

To show the key of a piece of music

Answer

To show the instruments that are used in a piece of music

Question 17

In a 3/4 time signature, how many quarter notes would there be in one measure?

Accepted Answer

3

Answer

2

Answer

4

Answer

5

Question 18

Which time signature has a half note getting one beat?

Accepted Answer

2/2

Answer

3/2

Answer

4/2

Answer

6/2

Question 19

Which time signature indicates two beats in each bar?

Accepted Answer

2/4

Answer

3/4

Answer

4/4

Question 20

Which time signature has 3 beats in a bar and a quarter note receiving one beat?

Accepted Answer

3/4

Answer

2/4

Answer

4/4

Answer

6/8

Question 21

In a piece of music with a time signature of 6/8, how many eighth notes are typically found in one bar?

Accepted Answer

6

Answer

2

Answer

4

Answer

8

Question 22

A time signature of 4/4 indicates that:

Accepted Answer

There are 4 beats in a bar, and a quarter note receives one beat.

Answer

There are 4 beats in a bar, and a whole note receives one beat.

Answer

There are 4 beats in a bar, and a half note receives one beat.

Answer

There are 4 beats in a bar, and an eighth note receives one beat.

Question 23

A time signature with an odd number on top (e.g., 5/8) is known as a:

Accepted Answer

Odd time signature

Answer

Simple time signature

Answer

Compound time signature

Answer

Mixed time signature

Question 24

In a time signature, what does the top number indicate?

Accepted Answer

Number of beats in a bar

Answer

Type of note that gets one beat

Answer

Tempo of the music

Answer

Key of the piece

Question 25

Which time signature represents four beats per bar, with a quarter note getting one beat?

Accepted Answer

4/4

Answer

2/4

Answer

3/4

Answer

6/8

Question 26

Which of these is NOT a common time signature?

Accepted Answer

7/16

Answer

2/4

Answer

5/8

Answer

9/8

Question 27

How would you correctly count a bar in 5/4 time?

Accepted Answer

One, two, three, four, five

Answer

One, two, three, four

Answer

One, two, three, four, five, six

Answer

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven

Question 28

What's the main purpose of a time signature?

Accepted Answer

To tell musicians how many beats are in a bar and which note receives one beat

Answer

To indicate the tempo of the music

Answer

To indicate the key of the music

Answer

To instruct musicians on how to play the piece

Question 29

Which time signature indicates three beats per bar, with a dotted half note getting one beat?

Accepted Answer

3/2

Answer

3/4

Answer

6/2

Answer

6/4

Question 30

In a 4/4 time signature, how does a faster tempo change the way you count the beats?

Accepted Answer

Count the beats more quickly

Answer

Count the beats more slowly

Answer

Change the time signature

Answer

Count the beats in a different grouping

Question 31

In the time signature 4/4, what does the bottom number represent?

Accepted Answer

Number of beats in a bar

Answer

Tempo of the music

Answer

Type of note that receives one beat

Answer

Number of measures in the piece

Question 32

Which of the following time signatures is considered compound?

Accepted Answer

6/8

Answer

4/4

Answer

3/4

Answer

2/4

Question 33

Which of the following is not a valid time signature?

Accepted Answer

5/7

Answer

2/2

Answer

3/4

Answer

6/8

Question 34

Which of the following is a duple time signature?

Accepted Answer

2/4

Answer

3/4

Answer

7/8

Answer

5/8

Question 35

Which time signature indicates four beats in a bar, with a quarter note getting one beat?

Accepted Answer

4/4

Answer

6/8

Answer

3/4

Answer

2/4

Question 36

In the time signature 6/8, which note value gets one beat?

Accepted Answer

Eighth note

Answer

Half note

Answer

Quarter note

Answer

Sixteenth note

Question 37

In the time signature 5/8, how many eighth notes are in one bar?

Accepted Answer

Five

Answer

Three

Answer

Four

Answer

Six

Question 38

Which musical term refers to the number of beats in a time signature?

Accepted Answer

Meter

Answer

Tempo

Answer

Pitch

Answer

Rhythm

Question 39

Which time signature indicates there are four beats in each bar and a quarter note receives one beat?

Accepted Answer

4/4

Answer

2/4

Answer

3/4

Question 40

A time signature of 6/8 means:

Accepted Answer

There are six beats in each bar, and an eighth note receives one beat.

Answer

There are eight beats in each bar, and an eighth note receives one beat.

Answer

There are eight beats in each bar, and a quarter note receives one beat.

Question 41

Which time signature is used for songs with two beats in each bar?

Accepted Answer

2/4

Answer

3/4

Answer

4/4

Question 42

What is the upper number in a time signature called?

Accepted Answer

Numerator

Answer

Measure

Answer

Denominator

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT a purpose of a time signature?

Accepted Answer

To indicate the key of the piece.

Answer

To specify the type of note that receives one beat.

Answer

To help musicians stay together when playing ensemble music.

Answer

To show the number of beats in a bar.

Question 44

Which time signature is used for songs with three beats in each bar?

Accepted Answer

3/4

Answer

6/8

Answer

2/4

Answer

4/4

Question 45

Select the time signature that indicates three beats per bar, with a crotchet (quarter note) receiving one beat.

Accepted Answer

3/4

Answer

2/4

Answer

4/4

Answer

5/4

Question 46

In a 2/4 time signature, which note value is typically given one beat?

Accepted Answer

Crotchet (Quarter note)

Answer

Semiquaver (Sixteenth note)

Answer

Quaver (Eighth note)

Answer

Minim (Half note)

Question 47

Which time signature is commonly used in waltzes?

Accepted Answer

3/4

Answer

2/4

Answer

4/4

Answer

5/4