eli5: what’s the difference between songs in 4/4, 3/4 and 6/8? why is there maths in music?
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They are not fractions, they are time signatures. They work a little bit like fractions, and look a little bit like fractions, but not completely. Note that when written correctly, there is no line between the two numbers, because they are not exactly fractions.
Why is there math in music? Because in typical Western music, we tend to like things to be in regular patterns. It sounds pleasing to us.
(Btw, I don’t mean Western as in Country & Western. I mean Europe and so on; that is, not traditional African or Indian music).
A piece of music is divided into measures, each lasting the same length, around a second or so. Usually the first sound in the measure is played with more emphasis.
Within the measure, there are beats, and some of them are played with a little more emphasis than others. Not as much as the extra emphasis of the first beat in a measure, but a little more.
The time signatures describe the number of beats in a measure, and how they are grouped for emphasis. The different common time signatures are best described using an example where the music is a series of eighth notes (also called a quavers).
For example, 4/4 time (written as 4 over another 4 with no line between them, impossible on reddit). This would have 8 quavers per measure. Emphasis is on the first quaver, and also to a lesser extent on the third, fifth, and seventh quavers.
In 3/4 time there are 6 quavers per measure. Emphasis is on the first quaver, and also to a lesser extend on the third, and fifth quavers.
In 6/8 time there are also 6 quavers per measure. Emphasis is on the first quaver, and also to a lesser extend on the fourth quaver (that’s how it is different to 3/4).
So you can see how a time signature is a little bit like a fraction. The fraction sort of tells you how many quarter notes or eighth notes are in each measure. But it tells you more than that as well.
And if you really want to see how math is involved in music take a look at how harmonica work. There’s a lot of math there (although it’s not necessary to know it to compose, play, or enjoy music).
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