A time signature is a number that looks like a fraction. It’s used to indicate how to count note values in a given piece of music.
​
The top number indicates how many beats are in each measure, while the bottom number indicates which note value receives the beat.
​
Example: In 4/4 time, the upper four tells us there will be four beats per measure, and the lower four tells us that the quarter note gets the beat. In 6/8 time, the 6 indicates that there will be six beats per measure, and the eight tells us that the eighth note receives the beat.
​
Other common time signatures: 3/4 (waltz) and 12/8.