Metre, also spelled Meter, in music, rhythmic pattern constituted by the grouping of basic

temporal units, called beats, into regular measures, or bars; in Western notation, each measure
is set off from those adjoining it by bar lines. A time (or metre) signature, found at the beginning
of a piece of music, indicates the number of beats in a measure and the value of the basic beat.
For example, 3/4 metre has three quarter-note beats per measure. The time signature implies
that an accent regularly occurs on the first beat of each measure. Simple
metres are duple (e.g., 2/2, 2/4), triple (3/4, 3/8), or quadruple (4/4, 4/8). Compound metres are also
duple (6/8, 6/16), triple (9/8), or quadruple (12/8) but have time signatures that indicate the number of
beats to be a multiple of three. Thus, in 6/8, for example, both beats of the basic duple division
are divisible into three subunits, yielding a total of six. Some metres that occur less frequently
are neither duple nor triple (5/4, 7/4) but may be considered a combination of duple and triple—
such as 2/4+3/4 or 3/4+2/4+2/4.
The time signature is written at the beginning of the staff after the clef and key signature.Time
signatures consist of two numbers written like a fraction. The top number of thetime signature tells
you how many beats to count. This could be any number.

Duple Meter

Every other beat or every fourth beat has emphasis in duple meter. In
traditional music, each measure has two, four or eight beats in traditional
music, but experimental music sometimes employs more. Duple-meter music
is used for marches, with the emphasis always happening when the right foot
steps. Examples of duple time signatures are 2/4, 4/4 and 4/8. A listener
would not necessarily be able to recognize which meter is being used, but
only that the music is duple.

Triple Meter

Beats are organized in threes in triple meter. The first and fourth beats of six
are emphasized. This is the meter used for waltzes, where the feet alternate
each emphasized beat (RIGHT-left-right, LEFT-right-left). Examples of triple
time signatures are 3/4, 6/8 and 12/8. Sometimes when the bottom number is
8 and the beat is fast, the music will be counted and conducted as if three
beats are combined into one. In this case, a 6/8 time signature would be
counted as if it has two beats, and each is subdivided into three. A conductor
lets the musicians know which way he will conduct by saying either "in two" or
"in six."

Irregular Meter
Music from many cultures and experimental music may have irregular meters.
Because the emphasis of the beats is not evenly spaced, the music must be
learned by ear or notated with accent marks or some other indication to the
performer. Sometimes composers use alternating or random traditional time
signatures to make clear to the performer where the accents are, but in this
case the listener would not discern a regular pattern.