Bar
Counting the beats: the measure
Synonyms
Bar, Measure, big One
Description
In music, the Beats are normally grouped in a larger (slower) time unit usually called Measure. The big One or Measure will always group 1 or more Beats or little Ones. 4, 6 and 8 are the most common of this groupings. The indications or time signatures describe the basic Beat but also how many of this Beats are to be grouped in each Measure: 4/4, 6/8, 5/4, 7/8, 11/8, etc.
It is normal for the speed of the measure to be defined in reference to the speed of the beats it groups, however when we work with divided Polyrhythms we can determine the speed of the measure in an absolute manner using MPM o Measures per minute. Each voice can then determine the speed of Beats per minute (BPM) pertaining their musical lines by dividing the MPM into the number of Beats that their Measure is grouping.
Ejemplo
Una pieza con Polirrítmica dividida en 7 y 5, comparte la duración del compás para la voz en 5 y la voz en 7.
Supongamos que la pieza tiene una velocidad de compás de 30 CPM, se pueden calcular las velocidades de los pulsos de cada voz:
