Rock & Roll 101 > Definitions

Musical Definitions

Bar / Measure
'distance in time', between one bar line and the next (Americans call a bar a Measure). The lines are the vertical strokes showing where the first pulse occurs in the new bar.
Bar Lines / Measure Lines
Bar lines divide music in bars. Each bar has the number of beats indicated by the Time Signature. The first beat after the Bar-Line is usually the strongest beat in the Bar. (see double bar line)