5/4 Time Signature Metronome
Allegro
5/4: 5 beats per bar in groups of 3+2, counted 1 2 3 · 4 5.
5/4 has five quarter-note beats per bar, usually felt as a group of three and a group of two.
How to count 5/4
Count 1 2 3 4 5 with accents on 1 and 4 for a 3+2 grouping (ONE two three FOUR five), the way Take Five by the Dave Brubeck Quartet moves. For 2+3, type 5/4 2+3 in the rhythm pill and the accents move to 1 and 3.
Where you hear 5/4
Take Five, the Mission: Impossible theme, Mars from Holst's The Planets, Living in the Past by Jethro Tull, and many progressive rock and film scores.
Questions
How do you count 5/4?
Count five quarter-note beats and group them 3+2 (accents on 1 and 4) or 2+3 (accents on 1 and 3). The grouping depends on the piece.
What tempo is Take Five?
The original recording sits around 170 to 175 BPM in 5/4. Practise it at 110 to 130 BPM first.
Is 5/4 the same as 5/8?
Both have five beats, but 5/8 counts eighth notes and usually feels faster and lighter. Type 5/8 in the rhythm pill for that meter.