Key and Time Signatures

Let's look at "Key Signatures" first (as this is the order they appear on the staff.) Beside the "Clef" on the staff there sometimes appears either a number of sharps or flats (but never both) and this series of symbols is called the "Key Signature". So when we see no sharps or flats, this indicates we are in the "Key of C (Major)." If we see just one sharp symbol (and it sits on the top line of the treble clef or the second from top line in the bass clef) we can determine that this key signature has only one sharp and therefore we are in the key of "G Major." There are several keys with sharps in their key signature and several keys with flats as well. If there are individual notes that are 'changed' (not in or by the "key signature" but on the staff directly), they are called "accidentals". These "accidentals" are only recognized to change the indicated note in the measure that they appear in.

Now moving to the left of the Key signature we usually see what looks like a fraction. I.E. 4/4. This is referred to as the "Time Signature." The fraction tells us two things. First, it tells us how many "beats" are in one measure (or bar) of music. It also tells us what type of note is counted as a beat. Taking the example of 4/4, the numerator (or top number) is the number of beats, which equals four. The denominator (or bottom number) tells us that a "quarter note" will get the count of one beat. So 4/4 equals four quarter notes per measure of music. 3/4 would indicate three quarter notes per measure. If one encounters a letter "C" where the (fraction) time signature is, then this is assumed to mean "common time" which equals 4/4. If there is a vertical line through the middle of this letter "C" then this is assumed to mean "cut-time" which means all note values are determined to have half their written value, or in another perspective, the tempo is twice as fast.

	Four beats in a measure
	Quarter Note gets one beat

	Three beats in a measure
	Quarter Note gets one beat

	Cut Time
	Played twice as fast as Common Time

	Common Time
	Same as 4/4 Time