1 Introduction to Music Theory: bars

Groups of notes are ordered into bars separated by bar-lines.

At the start of the first bar a time indicator tells you how each bar should be played.

The top number tells you how many counts there are in each bar, whereas the bottom number shows you what is the notevalue of one count. In this case it is a quaver (eighth note) since the bottom number is 8. If the bottom number is 4 a crotchet (quarter note) lasts one count, if it is a 2 a minim (half note) lasts one count.

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