A minute piece is a musical composition that is very short in duration, usually lasting no more than a few minutes. The term is often used to describe pieces of classical music, such as a WALTZ, which is a type of dance music composed in 3/4 time and typically lasting around two minutes. A SECOND is a unit of time equal to one sixtieth of a minute, and a TICK is the sound made by a clock or watch when it marks off a SECOND.