Meter refers to the pattern of beats that sets the rhythmic framework of a song. It serves as the underlying pulse that creates the timing and grouping of beats within a measure, allowing for the creation of rhythmical patterns. This organization creates measures or bars, each containing a set number of beats indicated by the time signature (such as 4/4 or 6/8), which guides how the music is felt and performed. Simple meter organizes beats into groups of two or four, with the 4 beat measures the most common in popular music.
In songs with 4 beats per measure, the first and third beats are “strong” (have more emphasis) compared to the second and fourth beats, which are considered “weak”.
In the example below, the beats in simple 4/4 time are read aloud so you can hear the relative emphasis on the strong and weak beats (1 is strongest, with beat 3 emphasized more compared to the weaker beats 2 and 4):
Compound meter subdivides each primary beat into three, resulting in measures that feel like they contain a multiple of three beats. In 6/8 time, measures contain two groups subdivided into three beats each for a total of six beats, with the first and fourth beats being the strongest.
The strong and weak beats of a compound 6-beat-per-measure time signature are read aloud below, emphasizing 1 and 4: