You might be asked to add bar lines to a short melody or check whether bar lines have been written correctly.
The question could look something like this:
Add the missing bar lines to this tune. The first bar line is given.
Look carefully at the time signature – how many beats are there per bar, and what type of beats are they?
This melody is in 3/4, so we need to have three crotchet (quarter note) beats per bar.
Underneath each note, carefully work out its value, like this:
Now count out the note values, and add a bar line when each bar has the value of three crotchets (quarter notes):
How to Draw Bar Lines in a Written Music Theory Exam
You could lose points if your work is messy or difficult to read (in a written exam). Always use a ruler to draw your bar lines neatly. Â Place them closer to the edge of the 1st note in the bar, like this:
Don’t draw the bar line too close the last note of the bar, and make sure you leave more space for longer note values. This bar line is in the wrong place because there isn’t enough space after the minim (half note), and it’s not close enough to the crotchet (quarter note):
Adding Bar Lines Exercises
Add the missing bar lines to these tunes. The first bar line is given in each.
a.
b.
c.
d.
