1. Stage 4 - 2026 - DURATION

​Duration

By Cameron Spike-Porter

Duration means how long a sound lasts.
Some sounds are short.
Some sounds are long.
Music needs duration so sounds happen at the right time.

Think about a clock.
A clock moves in a steady way.
Music also moves in a steady way.
This steady movement is called the beat.

In most popular music, we use 4/4 time.

This means we count four beats per bar in 4/4 time.

We count it like this:
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 | 1 – 2 – 3 – 4

A bar is a group of four beats.

In 4/4 time, every bar is the same length.

Just like a clock, the counting keeps repeating.

​What is a bar?

Notes can last for different lengths.

Some notes use 1 beat.
Some use 2 beats.
Some last for all 4 beats.

But the bar always stays the same size.

Tempo means how fast or slow the beat moves.

A steady tempo is like a clock ticking.

The beat should not speed up or slow down.

This helps musicians stay together.

​Tempo

Multiple Choice

What does duration mean in music?

• How loud a sound is

• How long a sound lasts

• How high a sound is

Multiple Choice

What does the clock help us understand?

• Beat

• Lyrics

• Melody

• Instruments

Multiple Choice

How many beats are in one bar of 4/4 time?

• 2

• 4

• 3

• 1

Multiple Choice

What is a 'bar' in music?

• An instrument

• A grouping of notes

• A song

Multiple Choice

Which statement is true about 4/4 time?

• Bars change length

• Every bar has one beat

• Tempo changes each bar

• Every bar has four beats

Multiple Choice

What is 'tempo' in music?

• How long a song is

• How fast or slow the beat moves

• How many bars there are

• How loud the music is