2/4 has two quarter-note beats in each bar: a strong beat and a weak one. It is the time of marches, polkas and many folk dances, and it often feels like 4/4 cut in half. The metronome above plays 2/4 with an accent at the start of each group. Count it as: 1 & 2 &.
What does 2/4 mean?
The top number, 2, says how many notes fill one bar; the bottom number, 4, says which note value they are (quarter notes). 2/4 is a simple meter: each beat divides into two equal halves.
How to count 2/4
Count 2/4 as “1 & 2 &”. The grouping is 1+1, so you feel 2 beats per bar, and the first note of each group carries the accent.
Accent pattern for 2/4
Group
Length
Accent
Group 1
1 quarter note
Strong (downbeat)
Group 2
1 quarter note
Medium
Setting a metronome for 2/4
Set the metronome to 2/4 and let it click on the quarter note. Set the metronome to 2/4 with an accent on beat one. Because bars go by quickly, count the eighth notes aloud at first so you know where the downbeat is.
How long is a bar of 2/4?
With the click on the quarter note, one bar of 2/4 lasts 2.00 seconds at 60 BPM, 1.33 seconds at 90 BPM, 1.00 seconds at 120 BPM.