Activity 1-9: Triple Meter

Against this background of regularly occuring beats or pulsations, notes of varying lengths make some beats sound more prominent—or "heavier"—than others. That does not necessarily mean that those notes should be played louder—they usually stand out because of the patterns of long and short notes. In the case of America, the first of every three beats is given more weight. This organization of beats into regular groups is called meter. The units themselves are called measures. The first beat of each group is called the downbeat. Triple meter consists of three beats per measure. Click below to see how the beats in America are grouped into patterns of three.