A time signature tells you how a piece of music is organized rhythmically. It appears as two numbers stacked like a fraction at the beginning of the staff. The top number states how many beats fill each measure, and the bottom number identifies which note value counts as one beat, so a 4 means a quarter note and an 8 means an eighth note. In 4/4, the most common signature, each measure holds four quarter-note beats, giving the steady pulse of most pop and rock. In 3/4 there are three beats per measure, the lilting feel of a waltz. Compound signatures like 6/8 group eighth notes into two larger beats of three, producing a rolling, swaying motion heard in jigs and ballads. Knowing the time signature tells you where the strong beats fall and how to count along, which is essential for setting up a metronome correctly. FretMind's metronome supports common time signatures so its accented downbeats match the music you are practicing.