Duple and quadruple metre

 ( Time Signatures ) 

Duple metre (or Am. duple meter, also known as duple time) is a musical metre characterized by a primary division of 2 beats to the bar, usually indicated by 2 and multiples (Simple meter) or 6 and multiples (compound) in the upper figure of the time signature, with (Alla breve), , and (at a fast tempo) being the most common examples.

Shown below are a simple and a compound duple drum pattern.

   \new Staff <<
      \new voice \relative c' {
          \clef percussion
          \numericTimeSignature
          \time 2/4
          \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4 = 100
          \stemDown \repeat volta 2 { g4 d' }
      }
      \new voice \relative c'' {
          \override NoteHead.style = #'cross
          \stemUp \repeat volta 2 { a8 a a a }
      }
  >>
     

  \new Staff <<
      \new voice \relative c' {
          \clef percussion
          \numericTimeSignature
          \time 6/8
          \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4. = 80
          \stemDown \repeat volta 2 { g4. d' }
      }
      \new voice \relative c'' {
          \override NoteHead.style = #'cross
          \stemUp \repeat volta 2 { a8 a a a a a }
      }
  >>
     

Though the upper number must be divisible by 2, the mere fact that 2 evenly divides the upper figure does not in and of itself indicate a duple metre; it is only a prerequisite.

The most common time signature in Rock music, blues, Country music, funk, and Pop music is .

Although jazz writing has become more adventurous since Dave Brubeck's Time Out, the majority of jazz and jazz standards are still in "common time" ().

Duple time is common in many styles including the polka, well known for its obvious "oom-pah" duple feel. Compare to the waltz.

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Quadruple metre Quadruple metre (also quadruple time) is a musical metre characterized in modern practice by a primary division of 4 beats to the bar, usually indicated by 4 in the upper figure of the time signature, with ( common time, also notated as ) being the most common example.

Shown below are a simple and a compound quadruple drum pattern.

   \new Staff <<
      \new voice \relative c' {
          \clef percussion
          \numericTimeSignature
          \time 4/4
          \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4 = 100
          \stemDown \repeat volta 2 { g4 d' g, d' }
      }
      \new voice \relative c'' {
          \override NoteHead.style = #'cross
          \stemUp \repeat volta 2 { a8 a a a a a a a }
      }
  >>
     

   \new Staff <<
      \new voice \relative c' {
          \clef percussion
          \numericTimeSignature
          \time 12/8
          \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4. = 80
          \stemDown \repeat volta 2 { g4. d' g, d' }
      }
      \new voice \relative c'' {
          \override NoteHead.style = #'cross
          \stemUp \repeat volta 2 { a8 a a a a a a a a a a a }
      }
  >>
     

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Sources

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