Simple meter · 4 beats per bar

4
4

The default pulse of Western music. Four equal beats, first is strongest.

Accent pattern

STRONG · weak · medium · weak

4/4
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BPM90

About 4/4 time

4/4 time has four quarter-note beats per measure. The first beat is the strongest (downbeat), the third is secondary, while beats two and four are weak. This creates the familiar strong-weak-medium-weak pattern underlying most rock, pop, and classical music. It is sometimes called 'common time' and notated with a 'C' symbol.

Famous examples in 4/4

Yesterday

The Beatles

Archetypal 4/4 feel

Beethoven's 5th

Beethoven

Classical 4/4 drive

Billie Jean

Michael Jackson

Pop/funk 4/4 groove

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Nirvana

Rock 4/4