Time signatures explained: 4/4, 3/4, 6/8 and how to set your metronome
What the common time signatures mean and exactly how to set beats per measure and subdivisions on the metronome for each one.
The common time signatures
| Time signature | Beats per measure | Feel | Metronome setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/4 | 4 quarter-note beats | The rock/pop default; accent beat 1 | Beats per measure: 4, accent on 1 |
| 3/4 | 3 quarter-note beats | Waltz: ONE-two-three | Beats per measure: 3, accent on 1 |
| 6/8 | 2 groups of 3 eighth notes | Compound; a rolling ONE-two-three-FOUR-five-six | Subdivision: 3, or set BPM to the dotted-quarter pulse and use 2 beats |
| 2/4 | 2 quarter-note beats | March: ONE-two | Beats per measure: 2, accent on 1 |
| 12/8 | 4 groups of 3 eighth notes | Slow blues and ballads | Subdivision: 3 with 4 beats per measure |
How to set the metronome
On the FreeMetronomeOnline tool, set Beats/Measure to the top number of the time signature (4 for 4/4, 3 for 3/4) and leave the accent on beat 1 so you feel where each bar starts. For compound meters like 6/8 and 12/8, switch on the triplet subdivision - or use the subdivisions metronome, which plays eighth-note, triplet and sixteenth subdivisions with the accent patterns already set.
When to count in 2 vs in 6
In 6/8 at slow tempos, count all six eighth notes. As the tempo rises, switch to feeling two big beats per bar (the dotted-quarter pulse), or the counting becomes a tongue-twister. The same applies to 12/8: four big beats, each dividing into three.
Once the signature is set, build the tempo with the metronome practice method.