Metre (music)

Metre is the measurement of a musical line into measures of stressed and unstressed beats, indicated in Western notation by a symbol called a time signature. Properly, "metre" describes the whole concept of measuring rhythmic units, but it can also be used as a specific descriptor for a measurement of an individual piece as represented by the time signature—for example, "This piece is in 4/4 metre" is equivalent to "This piece is in 4/4 time" or "This piece has a 4/4 time signature".

Related Topics:
Measures - Time signature - Rhythmic unit

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A measure has two purposes in Western traditions of music: firstly to block out a series of beats, and secondly to form the building block of larger sections of music, such as a phrase. Time signatures imply strongly accented beats, and others that are less accented; changing time signature changes the pattern of emphasizing notes, whether by playing certain notes more loudly, or by sustaining them as in swing or rubato. A measure is similar to a metrical foot in poetry.

Related Topics:
Beat - Phrase - Swing - Rubato - Metrical foot

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