Chapter 8

Rhythm: Measures and Bar Lines

A song can have hundreds of beats. Counting 97, 98, 99 is not very useful, so music groups beats into smaller pieces.

Bar lines create measures

A vertical bar line divides the music. The space between two bar lines is a measure, also called a bar.

Eight quarter notes divided into two four-beat measures
At every bar line, the count returns to 1.

For now, every measure will contain four quarter-note beats:

1   2   3   4   |   1   2   3   4

What happens to your foot at the bar line?

Nothing. The beat keeps moving. A bar line organizes the music; it does not create a pause.

Finding your place

Now you can find an exact spot. “Measure 2, beat 3” is much clearer than “the seventh note.”

Two-measure practice

  1. Tap and count two measures: 1, 2, 3, 4 | 1, 2, 3, 4.
  2. Clap every beat. Do not pause at the bar line.
  3. Play all eight quarter notes on one open string.
  4. Point to measure 2, beat 3 in the figure.

The beat never stops at the bar line.

Only the count starts over.