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Glite Dictionary
common time

common time

1 5.2
A beat pattern in music with four beats in each bar, often shown as C
  • noun
  • /ˈkɑːmən taɪm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : compás de cuatro cuartos
  • The excerpt was in common time at a fast tempo, quarter note = 138 beats per minute (bpm), and was 33 measures long.

Examples

  • In most pop songs, the rhythm follows common time, making it easy to dance to.

  • The song is written in common time, which means it has four beats in each measure.

  • When learning music, you'll often encounter the common time signature represented by the letter "C."

Synonyms

four-four time
vscommon time
  • Specialized
1 3.8

A musical beat pattern with four beats in each bar

is the same pattern but usually represented by the letter C in notation
common measure
vscommon time
  • Specialized
4.6

A time pattern in music with four beats in each bar

is the same idea typically shown by the letter C in musical notation
quadruple time
vscommon time
  • Specialized
6.6

A way of counting music in groups of four beats

is the written form often shown by the letter C instead of a name

How Complex

complex
648 5.6
irregular
27 3.5
musical time signature
  • Specialized
4.2
triple time
  • Specialized
1 6.6
common time
  • Specialized
1 5.2

Surface Forms

common time singular
common times plural

Morphology

common + time

The headwords 'common' (usual/shared) and 'time' (musical meter) make it plausible for a learner to infer this refers to the usual or standard musical meter. However, knowing it specifically denotes the 4/4 time signature and the symbol 'C' is specialized musical knowledge that cannot be derived from the words alone, so the relation is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Common time comes from the idea of the usual, or 'common', beat of four steady beats in each bar, often written with the letter C. So it means a simple, 'regular 4-beat rhythm' that is easy to follow.