The melody of a song exists within a rhythmic framework established by the other instruments. This framework, called the meter, gives songs a strong beat and sense of stability and continuity. The beat is what moves people with an innate sense of rhythm to tap their feet or dance without thinking.
The beats of a song are not all perceived as equal. Some beats are naturally felt as stronger or weaker depending on their location in time. Furthermore, these strong and weak beats usually repeat at regular intervals and impart a strong repetitive rhythmic feel to a song. These groups of beats are divided into what are called measures. Most songs have four beats per measure, a so-called four-beat feel, and by listening to the song we can usually tell when one measure starts and another one begins. This is because the first beat of a measure has a stronger feel to it than the other beats. Examples in this book use white lines to separate the different beats, and black lines to mark the beginning of each measure. The four-beat feel is part of a class of meters called simple meter (we’ll talk about what makes it “simple” in a bit).
In the following example from “Wake Me Up” by Avicii, we have removed the markers for the measures on purpose. As you listen, try to identify where each measure starts and ends. Tap your foot, tap your hand, snap your fingers - whatever you like to do to keep rhythm. After you’ve made your guess, click “show answer” to reveal the locations of the measure markers.
The first beat in a measure is considered strong because of the extra emphasis that it receives, but it is not the only strong beat. In songs written to have a four-beat feel, the 3rd beat of a measure also receives more emphasis (though not as much as the 1st beat). This beat can be thought of as the beginning of the second half of the measure. All the examples mark the half-measure subdivisions with a thicker white line. Beats 1 and 3 are thus called strong, while beats 2 and 4 are called weak. In the next example, we count out the four beats in a measure in simple meter. Try and count along with us, giving emphasis to the strong beats (1 and 3) in each measure.
The four-beat feel is by far the most common meter in popular music. However, songs employ other rhythmic frameworks as well. The most common alternative has two primary beats, but each of these beats is further subdivided into three for a total of six beats per measure. Because each measure has two different types of subdivisions (two beats then three beats), this type of meter is referred to as compound meter (as opposed to simple meter). With six beats per measure, beats 1 and 4 are strong, where as beats 2, 3, 5, and 6 are weak. In the next video, we count out the six beats in a measure in compound meter. Try and count along, giving emphasis to the strong beats (1 and 4) in each measure.
“Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson is an example of a song that uses a compound meter. Click play to hear how it sounds. Try counting the six beats aloud as you listen to it, emphasizing beats 1 and 4 of each measure.
Meter in popular music works much like meter in poetry to define the syllables that are stressed. In music, these syllables are the notes that make up the melody. Notes in the melody that are played on strong beats are more important than notes played on weak beats. Notes that fall between beats are even less important. In the next section, we will show how you can take advantage of the way notes are perceived in a melody relative to the beat they are played on to write a more coherent melody. Before we do that though, we need to discuss another property that influences how a given scale degree will affect a melody.
Review
In simple meter with four beats per measure, label beats 1-4 by their perceived strength.
Review
In compound meter with six beats per measure, label beats 1-6 by their perceived strength.