Compound meter
Read and feel 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8.
In 4/4 and 3/4 every beat divides into two. In some music every beat divides into three, and the whole bar feels different.
Beats that divide in three
In compound meter each beat is a dotted note that divides into three. In simple meter (lesson 2.3) each beat divides into two. With 8 at the bottom and 6, 9 or 12 at the top, the meter is compound, and the beat is a dotted-quarter beat.
| Time signature | Beats per bar | Each beat | Eighths per bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/8 | 2 | dotted quarter | 6 |
| 9/8 | 3 | dotted quarter | 9 |
| 12/8 | 4 | dotted quarter | 12 |
Count 6/8 as “1 & a 2 & a” (two beats), or slowly as 1–6 with accents on 1 and 4.
3/4 against 6/8
Both bars hold six eighth notes, grouped differently: 3/4 is 3 beats of two eighths (1 & 2 & 3 &); 6/8 is 2 beats of three eighths (1 & a 2 & a). The accents tell them apart.
12/8
12/8 sounds like 4/4 with every beat divided in triplets. It is common in slow blues and soul ballads.
Odd meters (5/4, 7/8…) exist and are used in some styles. They are outside this course.
Play six eighth notes on the open D, first accenting 1, 3 and 5 (3/4), then 1 and 4 (6/8). Keep the eighths identical: only the accents change.