Time Signature Reference
Beat duration and famous songs by time signature.
Time signature
4/4
4 quarter notes per measure at 120 BPM
Beat duration: 500.0 ms
Measure duration: 2000 ms (2.00 sec)
Measures per minute: 30.00
Famous time signatures
- 4/4 - Most pop / rock - Hey Jude, Smells Like Teen Spirit
- 3/4 - Waltzes - Tennessee Waltz, My Favorite Things
- 6/8 - Norwegian Wood, We Are the Champions
- 5/4 - Take Five, Mission Impossible
- 7/8 - Pink Floyd - Money, Genesis - Turn It On Again
- 9/8 - Stravinsky - Rite of Spring
- 12/8 - Slow blues, Blackbird (Beatles)
- 11/8 - Pink Floyd - Money (chorus 7+4)
Time signature is two stacked numbers: top is beats per measure, bottom is the note that gets one beat. 4/4 ("common time") covers most pop. Compound and irregular signatures (5/4, 7/8) appear in jazz and prog rock.
About
Pick a time signature and BPM. The tool shows beat and measure durations in milliseconds plus famous songs in that meter.
How to use
- Pick top, bottom, BPM.
FAQ
What's compound time?+
Time signatures where the beat divides into three (6/8, 9/8, 12/8). Feels different from simple time (4/4) - waltzes and slow blues use compound meters.