2/4 time there will be two beats in a measure and the value of a quarter note will equal one beat. This means the value of a half note will equal two beats and so on. 2/4 time is counted as 1, 2 ,1 , 2 and the downbeat, or pulse, is on 1. A good example of 2/4 time in music is the song Mary Had a Little Lamb. Try singing it aloud while clapping the beat. Notice where the natural pulse falls and how the rythm fits within each measure.
In 3/4 time there are three beats in a measure and a quarter note still equals a beat. It is counted as 1 , 2 , 3 , 1 , 2 , 3. The downbeat, again, is on 1. 3/4 time is also commonly referred to as waltz time. A good example is Minuet Waltz by Chopin. Listen and try to clap the beat along to the music.
In 4/4 time (aka common time) there are four beats in a measure and the quarter note equals a beat. It is counted as 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and the pulse/downbeat is on 1 and 3. A common example is Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ .
In 6/8 time there are six beats in a measure and the value of an eighth note equals a beat. It is counted as 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 with the pulse on 1 and 4. In some ways, 6/8 time is an elongated version of 3/4 time and is often seen in waltzes as well. Have a listen to the Beatles’ Oh! Darling to get a feel for the way the beat works.
