What is the time signature of a waltz?

The time signature of a waltz is traditionally 3/4. That means each measure contains three quarter-note beats, with the first beat usually receiving the strongest accent and the second and third creating the characteristic “one-two-three” sway.

The waltz developed from central European dance traditions and became a major ballroom form in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Unlike earlier court dances, it involved couples turning closely together, which initially caused controversy but eventually made the waltz enormously fashionable across Europe.

Composers including Johann Strauss I, Johann Strauss II, Frédéric Chopin, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Maurice Ravel wrote famous waltzes. A common mix-up is 6/8: it also has a compound, lilting feel, but its beats are normally grouped in two, while a traditional 3/4 waltz is grouped in three. Some modern works called waltzes use unusual meters, but 3/4 remains the canonical quiz answer.