Counting bars

i know this sounds like a dumb question but how does a guy count bars ?never learned so since i'm into this producing thing i need to know to help make my music better ! so any one that knows please help![/color]

a basic song math is 8 bar intro 16 bar verse 8 bar hooks....give or take that the verse can be more that 16 bars but i tell rappers to end everything on a even number(4,8,12,16,20 and so on) or another way i can count bars when writen a rap(o yea i dont rap) is on that yellow paper i thinki its college rule size. if you dont dont write so small that you need glasses to read it  raps writen at a good size from the left red line to other line is about a bar...so i find that 16 lines should give you around 16 bars....im not too sure if this helps but this is what works for me so anyone who has another opinion please dont bite my head off.[/color]

well how do you count bars when making a beat? the reason why i asked is causei'm werking with this sample and i 'm having trouble getting it to loop right !so if anyone has aim just hit me up and i'll show you what i'm talking about[/color]