Definition:
A beat is the basic unit of time in music. A bar (or measure) is a group of beats. The number of beats per bar is determined by the time signature. For example:
\(\dfrac{3}{4}\) notation gives 3 beats to the bar where each note is a quarter note (denoted by the 4)
\(\dfrac{4}{4}\) notation gives 3 beats to the bar where each note is a quarter note (denoted by the 4)
\(\dfrac{6}{8}\) notation gives 6 beats to the bar where each note is an eight note (denoted by the 8)
Understanding this structure is key to counting music and aligning dance movement properly.