In this exercise you see several notes and rests in a row inside a measure (UK: bar), and you say how many beats they add up to. It is the step before completing measures: before you can tell which note is missing, you have to be able to add up what is already there.
How to add up the notes of a measure
- Look at the time signature. In 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 each beat is a quarter note (UK: crotchet). In 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8 each beat groups three eighth notes (UK: quavers), so it equals a dotted quarter note.
- Work out how long each note and each rest lasts in that time signature. Rests count the same as notes.
- Add. In simple meters you get halves and quarters of a beat; in compound meters, thirds and sixths.
| Simple meters | Compound meters | |
|---|---|---|
| Time signatures | 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 | 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8 |
| One beat is | a quarter note | a dotted quarter note (three eighth notes) |
| A quarter note lasts | 1 beat | ⅔ of a beat |
| An eighth note lasts | ½ a beat | ⅓ of a beat |
| A sixteenth note lasts | ¼ of a beat | ⅙ of a beat |
For example, in 6/8: a quarter note (⅔) + an eighth note (⅓) + a dotted quarter note (1) = 2 beats, which is exactly one full measure. In 3/4: a dotted quarter note (1½ beats) + an eighth note (½) + a quarter rest (1) = 3 beats.
A trick for compound meters is to count in eighth notes: each beat is three. In the 6/8 example, the quarter note is 2 eighth notes, the eighth note is 1 and the dotted quarter note is 3: in total 6 eighth notes, which is two beats. To review the value of each note in each time signature, there is the exercise on note values.
Printable worksheet (PDF)
The same exercise on paper: 12 excerpts to add up, six in simple and six in compound time signatures, on one A4 sheet. With a separate answer sheet, with the answers in red.
Download the worksheet (A4 PDF) Answers
You can print and photocopy it freely for class. There are more rhythm exercises in note value and rhythm exercises, and to practice time signatures, the analyze time signatures exercise.