Time signatures explained: 3/4, 6/8, 7/8 and more in your browser

By Tongkit Leong · September 30, 2026 · 7 min read

A time signature is two numbers: the top one says how many beats are in each bar, and the bottom one says which note value counts as a beat. In the Tracks browser studio you pick one from the Sig menu in the transport bar, and the ruler, grid, and metronome accent all follow it.

What the two numbers mean

In 4/4, there are four beats per bar and each beat is a quarter note. In 3/4, there are three quarter-note beats per bar. In 6/8, there are six eighth notes per bar, usually felt as two groups of three.

Almost all pop, hip-hop, and house is in 4/4, which is why it is the default in a new Tracks project. Changing the signature does not change your tempo. It changes where the bar lines fall, so the same BPM feels completely different when you group the beats another way.

How to change the time signature in Tracks

Step 1: Open the Sig menu

In the arrange view's transport bar, find the Sig dropdown next to the key and scale menus. It offers 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 5/4, 6/8, 7/8, and 12/8.

Step 2: Pick a signature before you write

Choose it first, so your bars line up with the grid while you draw notes. You can change it later, but existing notes stay where they are in time. Only the bar lines move.

Step 3: Turn on the metronome

Press the Click button. The metronome clicks on every quarter-note beat and puts an accent on the first beat of each bar, so you hear where "one" is.

Step 4: Loop one bar or two and build the groove

Set a loop over a bar or two and program drums in the drum machine or the piano roll. Put your kick on beat one, and let the pattern repeat until it feels natural.

Common signatures and what they sound like

• 4/4: the standard. Kick on 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4, or four on the floor for house.
• 3/4: the waltz. Strong beat one, two lighter beats after it. Put a bass note on 1 and chords on 2 and 3.
• 2/4: a short march or polka feel. Kick on 1, snare on 2.
• 5/4: five beats, often felt as 3+2 or 2+3. Think of the theme from Mission: Impossible.
• 6/8: two groups of three eighth notes. Ballads, blues shuffles, and many folk tunes live here.
• 7/8: seven eighth notes, commonly grouped 2+2+3. It gives a rolling, lopsided feel.
• 12/8: four groups of three eighth notes. Slow soul, doo-wop, and gospel.

How the eighth-note signatures work in Tracks

Tracks counts beats in quarter notes. A bar in 6/8 is worth three quarter notes, 7/8 is three and a half, and 12/8 is six. That means the ruler shows the correct bar length, but the metronome still clicks once per quarter note, with the accent on the bar's first beat.

For 6/8, that gives you a click on 1, 2, and 3 of each bar, where each click spans two eighth notes. To feel the two groups of three, place your kick on the bar's downbeat and your snare on the half-way point, one and a half quarter notes in. Draw those notes on a finer grid so they land on the eighth-note positions.

A 7/8 bar is three and a half quarter notes, so the click and the bar line drift apart. Rely on the ruler's bar lines and count eighth notes against them, and use the metronome as a steady pulse rather than a bar counter.

Tips for writing in odd meters

• Count in groups. Count 7/8 as "1-2, 1-2, 1-2-3" rather than 1 to 7. Groups are much easier to hold.
• Loop one bar first. Get a single bar to feel right before you build a section.
• Accent the group starts. Use velocity to make the first note of each group louder than the others.
• Keep the bass simple. A repeating bass note on beat one anchors the ear while the rhythm above it is unusual.
• Change the signature mid-song? The Sig menu sets one signature for the project. For tempo changes at specific bars, see the tempo map guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between 3/4 and 6/8?

Both have the same total length of three quarter notes per bar. In 3/4 you feel three even beats. In 6/8 you feel two long beats, each split into three. The tempo and the accents make the difference.

Does changing the time signature change the tempo?

No. BPM stays the same. Only the bar length shown on the ruler and grid, and the metronome accent, change.

Will my existing notes move if I change it?

No. Notes keep their position in time. The bar lines move around them, so some notes may now land on different beats of the bar.

Which signatures can I choose?

4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 5/4, 6/8, 7/8, and 12/8. If you need something else, choose the closest and shape the pattern with the grid.

Is it free, and are my projects saved online?

It is free with no account. Projects stay in your browser on your device and are never uploaded. Open the studio and try a waltz.