taktart

Taktart, a German term widely used in music theory, denotes the meter or time signature of a piece. It indicates how many beats are contained in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat. In English-language usage it is often described as the meter or time signature.

Taktart is not the same as tempo; tempo marks speed, while taktart defines the grouping of beats and their accents. It is usually shown at the beginning of the score as a fraction, such as 4/4, 3/4, 6/8, or sometimes as C for common time or cut time (2/2). The numerator specifies the number of beats in a measure; the denominator indicates the note value that represents one beat. For example, 4/4 means four quarter-note beats per measure, while 6/8 designates six eighth-note pulses grouped into two main beats.

Meters can be simple or compound. Simple meters, like 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4, subdivide each beat into two. Compound meters, such as 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8, divide the beat into three subdivisions, typically producing a felt two-beat measure with three notes per beat. The metrical accents—where the stresses occur within the measure—shape rhythm, phrasing, and articulation.

Meter can change within a work, producing shifts in emphasis or flow. Irregular meters (5/4, 7/8, etc.) are used for varied feel. The concept of taktart thus provides the framework for rhythm, notation, and interpretation, separate from, but interacting with, tempo.