In this chapter, we are going to discuss time signatures that are not 4/4, and how they affect note values in measures.
 
Let's review how these work:
Let’s look at a few examples:

This time signature tells you, six beats in a measure, quarter note gets the beat.  Look at the example below and count the appropriate number of beats:

(1-2-3&-45-6)See, the measure adds up to six beats using the note values you already know.  Let’s do one more:

This time signature tells you, 3 beats in a measure, quarter note gets the beat.  Look at the example below and count the appropriate number of beats:

(1&-2-3)  Again, nothing changes except the number of beats in a measure.  Remember, if there is a “4” in the bottom slot, nothing changes except the number of beats in a measure.

***Dots beside notes also keep the same values in time signatures with a "4" in the bottom!

Time Signatures with “2” in the bottom:

The next type of time signature you will be dealing with is a signature with a “2 in the bottom.  The most common is 2/2 or “cut time”. It’s called cut time because it “cuts” all of your note values in half.    Here’s how this works:

2/2 time signature                   cut time

The “2” in the bottom slot tells you that the half note gets the beat.  So when you’re tapping your foot along, you would be tapping to half notes instead of quarter notes. Two is half of 4 correct?  So everything you count now has half the value of when it’s in 4/4.  Here is a chart to help you out:
 
Type of note                           Value in 4/4                            Value in 2/2
           
Whole notes                             4 beats                                     2 beats
Half notes                                 2 beats                                     1 beat
Quarter notes                           1 beat                                       ½ beat
Eighth notes                              ½ beat                                      ¼ beat
Dotted Whole notes                  6 beats                                     3 beats
Dotted Half notes                      3 beats                                     1 1/2 beats
Dotted Quarter notes                1 1/2 beats                               3/4 beats
 
So in 2/2, half notes would be counted like quarter notes, quarter notes are counted like eighth notes, etc.  Remember, you cannot exceed the number of beats in a measure, according to the top number, just because the bottom number is different. 
 
 
Take a look at this measure in 2/2 and compare it to the one next to it in 4/4:

  (1-&a-2&)                           (1-2&-3-4)
   
The measures look the same, but are counted differently because of the time signature.  It’s a good rule of thumb to think of 2/2 as “double the speed” of 4/4, cause all of the note values are divided in half. 
 
Now, cut time is not the only time signature with a “2” in the bottom.  Just like time signatures with a “4” in the bottom, the top number can change according to how many beats you need in a measure.  But because the bottom number still has a “2”, you count it the same way.  Look at the counts for this example:

    (1-2&-3)            See, the “2” note values established in the bottom of the time signature stay the same, just the number of beats in the measure changes.  Here’s one more example:

    (1&-2-3-4e&a)         This measure has 4 beats total in it, but your “2” note values stay the same.  Just like in time signatures that have a “4” in the bottom.
 
***Remember, always make sure your measure counts match the top number of the time signature, and adhere to the note values established by the bottom number!