|caption=An example of a 34 time signature. The time signature indicates that there are three quarter notes (crotchets) per measure (bar).|alt=Printed music staff with treble-clef symbol, 34 time signature, and 3 quarter notes: A, F, and middle C.}} The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value is equivalent to a beat.
|caption=An example of a 34 time signature. The time signature indicates that there are three quarter notes (crotchets) per measure (bar).|alt=Printed music staff with treble-clef symbol, 34 time signature, and 3 quarter notes: A, F, and middle C.}} The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value is equivalent to a beat. In a music score, the time signature appears at the beginning as a time symbol or stacked numerals, such as or 34 (read common time and three-four time, respectively), immediately following the key signature (or immediately following the clef symbol if the key signature is empty). A mid-score time signature, usually immediately following a barline, indicates a change of meter. There are various types of time signatures, depending on whether the music follows regular (or symmetrical) beat patterns, including simple (e.g., 34 and 44), and compound (e.g., 98 and 128); or involves shifting beat patterns, including (e.g., 54 or 78), (e.g., 58 & 38 or 68 & 34), (e.g., 3+2+38), (e.g., ​2 1⁄24), and (e.g., 310 or 524).