meter
theoryMEE-tur
The pattern of strong and weak beats that creates the rhythmic framework of music.
Meter organises beats into recurring patterns of strong and weak pulses. Duple meter (groups of two) feels like a march: ONE-two, ONE-two. Triple meter (groups of three) feels like a waltz: ONE-two-three. Compound meters group beats in threes within a larger framework.
The time signature indicates the meter: 4/4 is duple (with four beats grouped in pairs), 3/4 is triple, 6/8 is compound duple (two groups of three). Irregular meters like 5/4 and 7/8 create asymmetric, unpredictable patterns. The choice of meter fundamentally shapes a piece's character — a melody in 3/4 feels completely different from the same melody in 4/4.
The Mission: Impossible theme by Lalo Schifrin is in 5/4 time — the asymmetric meter creates an unsettled, suspenseful feeling that perfectly matches the show's tension.