Time Signatures for Guitarists: 4/4, 3/4, 6/8 and More, With Strumming Patterns
A time signature tells you how to count a song. Once you can count it, you can strum it. Here are the six you will meet, with a pattern for each.
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In this guide
A time signature tells you how to count a song. The top number is how many beats are in each bar, and the bottom number is which note gets one beat: 4 means a quarter note and 8 means an eighth note. So 4/4 is four beats per bar, 3/4 is three, and 6/8 is six eighth notes grouped into two beats of three.
For guitarists, the time signature decides how you count, where the strong beats fall, and which strumming patterns fit. Here are the six you will meet most, with a pattern for each.
The six common time signatures
| Time signature | Count | Feel | Where you hear it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/4 | 1 2 3 4 | Steady, even | Most pop, rock, country, hip-hop |
| 3/4 | 1 2 3 | Waltz: strong-weak-weak | Waltzes, many folk songs and ballads |
| 6/8 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 (two groups of three) | Rolling, swaying | Ballads, Irish jigs, some rock slow songs |
| 2/4 | 1 2 | March, oom-pah | Marches, polkas, some country |
| 12/8 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 (four groups of three) | Slow shuffle | Slow blues, 1950s ballads, soul |
| 5/4 | 1 2 3 4 5 (often 3 + 2) | Uneven, off-kilter | Jazz, progressive rock, film music |
4/4: common time
Count "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and". The strongest beat is 1, with a lighter accent on 3. The drums usually put the snare on 2 and 4.
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & Strum: D D U U D U
That is the most useful strumming pattern in pop and folk. Learn more in strumming patterns for beginners.
3/4: waltz time
Count "1 2 3, 1 2 3", with the accent firmly on 1.
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & Strum: D D U D U
Or the classic bass-strum-strum: pick the root note on 1, then strum the higher strings on 2 and 3. Changing chords always happens on beat 1.
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6/8: two beats, each split in three
Count "1 2 3 4 5 6", with accents on 1 and 4. The bar has the same number of eighth notes as 3/4, but it feels like two big beats rather than three.
Count: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Strum: D D U D D U
Put a little more weight on the down-strums on 1 and 4. If you tap your foot, it taps twice per bar, on 1 and 4. Fingerpicked 6/8 is lovely: thumb on 1 and 4, fingers on the others.
2/4: march time
Count "1 and 2 and". A common guitar pattern alternates a bass note on 1 and a strum on 2, the "boom-chick" sound of old-time country and polka.
12/8: the slow shuffle
12/8 is four beats per bar, but each beat is split into three. Count "1-la-li 2-la-li 3-la-li 4-la-li". A slow blues is often in 12/8; it feels like 4/4 with a heavy triplet swing. Play down-strums on every triplet, accenting the beat, for a classic slow-blues backing. See the 12-bar blues for the chord pattern.
5/4: odd time
Five beats per bar, usually split as 3 + 2 ("1 2 3 4 5") or 2 + 3. It sounds uneven on purpose. Practice by strumming a chord on 1 and another on 4, counting out loud, until the extra beat feels natural.
How to work out a song's time signature
- Tap your foot along with the song at a comfortable speed.
- Find the strongest beat: usually where the chord changes, the kick drum lands hardest or a new line of lyrics begins. Call it 1.
- Count your taps until the next strong beat. Four is almost always 4/4; three suggests 3/4.
- Listen inside each beat. If it naturally splits into three ("1-la-li"), you are probably in 6/8 (two taps per bar) or 12/8 (four taps per bar).
Practice tips
- Count out loud while you strum. It feels silly, and it works.
- Use a metronome with the first beat accented. Our free metronome runs in your browser.
- Change chords on beat 1 in every time signature; it keeps you anchored to the bar.
Next steps: reading tabs with rhythm and how to strum a guitar.
Frequently asked questions
What does a time signature mean?
The top number tells you how many beats are in each bar; the bottom number tells you which note value gets one beat (4 = quarter note, 8 = eighth note). 4/4 means four quarter-note beats per bar.
What is the most common time signature?
4/4, often called common time. The large majority of pop, rock, country and hip-hop songs are in 4/4.
What is the difference between 3/4 and 6/8?
Both have six eighth notes per bar, but 3/4 is felt as three beats (1-and-2-and-3-and) and 6/8 as two beats, each split into three (1-2-3-4-5-6, with accents on 1 and 4). 3/4 sounds like a waltz; 6/8 has a rolling, swaying feel.
How do I find the time signature of a song?
Tap your foot to the beat and listen for the strongest beat, usually where the chord changes or the kick drum hits hardest. Count the taps until it comes round again. Four is most likely 4/4; three is 3/4. If each beat naturally splits into three, it may be 6/8 or 12/8.
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