Two stacked numbers that tell you how beats are grouped in each bar.
A time signature is the pair of numbers written at the start of a piece of music that defines its rhythmic framework. The top number tells you how many beats are in each bar, and the bottom number tells you which note value counts as one beat. The most common is 4/4 — four quarter-note beats per bar — so universal it is often just called 'common time' and underpins most pop, rock and dance music. Other signatures create different feels: 3/4 gives the lilting sway of a waltz, while 6/8 has a rolling, compound feel. The time signature shapes how a piece is counted, felt and grooves.
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