Tell me more ×
Audio-Video Production Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for engineers, producers, editors, and enthusiasts spanning the fields of audio, video, and media creation. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 2 down vote favorite

I know that tempo is the beats per minute (BPM), but is this affected by the time signature?

For example, given a tempo of 120 BPM, are the note durations of a 4/4 time signature different from that of a 2/4 time signature? What about a 6/8? Is the note duration affected, or is it merely a way of adjusting how many beats there are per measure.

share|improve this question
3  
This should probably be migrated to music.SE. – NReilingh Jul 4 '11 at 3:36
1  
This user has asked the same question here and on Music.SE. music.stackexchange.com/questions/3346/… – Neil Fein Jul 4 '11 at 17:01
In that case, we don't need it here - it's clearly more in Music.SE's domain. Closing. – Warrior Bob♦ Jul 4 '11 at 18:42

closed as off topic by Kim Burgaard, Neil Fein, Warrior Bob♦ Jul 4 '11 at 18:44

Questions on Audio-Video Production Stack Exchange are expected to relate to audio or video recording and production within the scope defined in the FAQ. Consider editing the question or leaving comments for improvement if you believe the question can be reworded to fit within the scope. Read more about closed questions here.

1 Answer

up vote 0 down vote

Your BPM is always the amount of beats per minute. The beats are defined by the bottom number in the time signature, so 4/4 will give you 120 quarter notes per minute and 6/8 will give you 120 eighth notes per minute. It will work this way for any time signature/tempo combination.

share|improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.