Which term describes a meter with two beats per measure?

Which term describes a meter with two beats per measure?

• A. Triple
• B. Compound
• C. Duple
• D. Irregular

Answer: (C)

Two beats per measure is called duple meter. Meter describes how many main pulses you feel in each bar, the strong-to-weak pattern that repeats. When you count two primary pulses in every measure, you’re in a duple feel—think of common 2/4 or 2/2 time, where the pulse moves in two beats per bar. There’s a nuanced point: if those two main beats are divided into three sub-units each, you still have two main pulses per measure, but it’s described as a compound duple meter. The term duple refers to the count of main beats, while compound refers to how each beat is subdivided. The other options don’t fit this situation because three beats per measure describes triple meter, and irregular describes meters with an uneven number of beats (like 5/4). The term compound describes subdivision, not the exact number of main beats, though it can occur with two main beats when each is subdivided into three.

Two beats per measure is called duple meter. Meter describes how many main pulses you feel in each bar, the strong-to-weak pattern that repeats. When you count two primary pulses in every measure, you’re in a duple feel—think of common 2/4 or 2/2 time, where the pulse moves in two beats per bar.

There’s a nuanced point: if those two main beats are divided into three sub-units each, you still have two main pulses per measure, but it’s described as a compound duple meter. The term duple refers to the count of main beats, while compound refers to how each beat is subdivided.

The other options don’t fit this situation because three beats per measure describes triple meter, and irregular describes meters with an uneven number of beats (like 5/4). The term compound describes subdivision, not the exact number of main beats, though it can occur with two main beats when each is subdivided into three.