Meter is the organization of beats, establishing an underlying pattern of emphases and creating a regular, measurable pulse. A waltz, for example, is in a triple meter, with an emphasis on the first beat of the three: 1-2-3, 1-2-3. A time signature placed at the beginning of a composition or section indicates the basic unit of measurement contained within each measure. A waltz is usually notated in three-quarter (3/4) time, for example, which tells the performer that each measure will contain three quarter notes to be played as fast as the tempo indicates. The first beat of a group is generally emphasized. A beat should not be confused with a note; a beat may contain one note, many notes, or may be silent (indicated by a symbol called a rest). Beats create an underlying pulse that organizes musical sounds through time.