Quadruple meter A metric pattern comprising four beats. [Example 1: Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet, "The Montagues and theCapulets."] Quadruple meter is a metric pattern comprising four beats: the first beat is strongest, the third beat is less strong, and the second and fourth beats are weak. | strongest weak strong weak | Since quadruple meter is an extension of duple meter, it still feels like two groups of two. In each pair, the first beat is strong, but the first beat of the first pair, the downbeat, is more heavily emphasized than that of the second pair. The following diagram represents the quadruple metric pattern visually. Beats are represented by vertically stacked asterisks from strongest (three asterisks) to weakest (one asterisk). Figure 1 If we tap with the beat to this passage from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, we find that the beat is of moderate speed and falls strongly into groups of two, while the metric pattern repeats every four beats. [Example 2: Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, "Montagues and Capulets."] The phrase that forms the first part of that last example begins on beat 1 (strongest) and continues through the metric pattern. When this pattern repeats, the phrase ends on beat 3.   [Example 3: Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, "Montagues and Capulets."] Ending a phrase on beat 3 is typical, since that beat is stronger than beats 2 or 4, but not as strong as beat 1. Because beat 3 is the second strongest beat in the metric pattern, it is more stable than beats 2 and 4. Ending on a strong beat gives listeners the impression of the phrase ending being stable and complete. Now let us hear the previous example continued through its second phrase. This example begins on the upbeat to the third repeat of the metric pattern. The accompanying diagram illustrates how these phrases interact with the underlying meter. [Fig. 2: ["Quadruple diagram 6" chart with 1st theme of Romeo & Juliet, each beat being highlighted with the music. When the audio file plays, the diagram should "follow" the music by changing the color/brightness of the beats as notated by that beat's location in the diagram. When the "current" beat is being played by the audio file, the corresponding beat on the chart should be highlighted.]] [Example 4: Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, "Montagues and Capulets."] Because so many melodies in Western music end on a strong beat, it would sound unusual if the melodic fragment ended on beat 2 or 4. That is not to say that important musical events cannot occur in unexpected places in the metric pattern. Nevertheless, most music we hear in Western culture follows established patterns of strong and weak beats.   Quadruple meter, as exemplified in genres such as the march, is the most commonly found meter in Western classical music. Practically all pop music, and the great majority of jazz, is in quadruple meter. Quadruple meter is so prevalent that it is sometimes referred to as common time. Summary: Quadruple meter is a repeating pattern of four beats. Of the four beats in quadruple meter, the first is the strongest, the third is less strong, and the second and fourth beats are weak. Quadruple meter is an extension of duple meter, because it features two groups of two beats, alternating strong-weak.   Also see: Beat, Meter, Duple meter, Triple meter, Upbeat, Downbeat     Copyright © Columbia University, 24 January 2002 Visual & Sound Materials from the Gabe M. Wiener Music & Arts Library of Columbia University Upbeat written by: Jason Eckardt Recording & Mixing: Christopher Bailey Narration: Mark Burford Technology & Design: Maurice Matiz