Which statement is true about meter readings?

Which statement is true about meter readings?

• A. The upper number indicates tempo
• B. The lower number indicates the tonality
• C. The upper number indicates the number of beats per measure
• D. The lower number indicates the key signature

Answer: (C)

Meter readings are shown by the time signature, which tells you how music is organized into measures. The upper number indicates how many beats are in each measure. The lower number shows which note value gets one beat (for example, 4 means a quarter note gets one beat, 8 means an eighth note gets one beat, and so on). Tempo, or how fast the music should go, is indicated separately by tempo markings or metronome numbers, not by the time signature. Key signatures indicate tonality, not meter. So the statement that the upper number indicates the number of beats per measure is the true one.

Meter readings are shown by the time signature, which tells you how music is organized into measures. The upper number indicates how many beats are in each measure. The lower number shows which note value gets one beat (for example, 4 means a quarter note gets one beat, 8 means an eighth note gets one beat, and so on). Tempo, or how fast the music should go, is indicated separately by tempo markings or metronome numbers, not by the time signature. Key signatures indicate tonality, not meter. So the statement that the upper number indicates the number of beats per measure is the true one.