Meaning & use
bar line
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountablemusic
A vertical line across the staff of written music that separates one measure from the next.
Grammar: Countable: a bar line, many bar lines. Also written barline.
Patterns
- cross the bar line
- tied over the bar line
The pianist counted four beats before each bar line.
A note tied across the bar line lasts into the next measure.
The composer ended the piece with a thick final bar line.
Word forms
| plural | bar lines |
|---|
Common combinations
- double bar line
- A double bar line shows that a new section is about to begin.
- final bar line
- He drew a final bar line at the end of the score.
- cross the bar line
- The melody crosses the bar line before it resolves.
- draw a bar line
- Students draw a bar line after every four beats in the exercise.
- tied across the bar line
- The two notes are tied across the bar line to make one long sound.
Synonyms and how they differ
- barline
- Barline is just the one-word spelling of the same thing and is common in music software.
- measure line
- Measure line is the American-flavored alternative and means exactly the same line.
Word family
Commonly confused: bar line or bar?
bar line vs bar
A bar line is the vertical line itself, while a bar is the stretch of music between two such lines.
Practice
In written music, what separates one measure from the next?
Choose one answer.
A bar line is the vertical line that divides measures. A clef and key signature appear at the start of the staff, and a rest marks silence.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bar line”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.