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6/8 time signature

6/8 means six eighth notes in a bar, grouped in two beats of three: ONE two three FOUR five six. It is compound duple time, so it feels in two, each beat a dotted quarter note that splits into three, which gives it its rolling, swaying lilt.

80 BPM, Andante: at a walking pace

Make a corridos tumbados beat in 6/8

Opens the free editor with a beat playing. No account needed to start.

How to count 6/8

Count 1 2 3 4 5 6, leaning on 1 and a little on 4, or count the two beats as 1 & a 2 & a. The metronome counts the tempo in dotted quarter notes, two beats a bar, and clicks all six eighths, the first highest and the 4 next.

6/8 at a glance: its type, its beats and what a bar holds
6/8
TypeCompound duple
Beats in a bar2
A beat isA dotted quarter note
A bar holdssix eighth notes, two dotted quarter notes or one dotted half note

Music in 6/8

Irish jigs, many marches, ballads and slow rock songs that sway, and Mexican corridos tumbados.

Drum patterns in 6/8, each on a step grid to hear and open in the editor:

Corridos tumbados

6/8 or 3/4?

Both bars drawn to one scale: the wider a box, the longer its note.

6/8: 1 2 3 4 5 6
3/4: 1 2 3

3/4 also holds six eighth notes, but in three pairs: ONE & TWO & THREE &. 6/8 is two beats of three and feels in two; 3/4 is three beats of two and feels in three.

How to count it and where it is heard are on the page for the 3/4 time signature.

Questions about 6/8

What does 6/8 mean?

6/8 means six eighth notes in a bar, grouped in two beats of three: ONE two three FOUR five six. It is compound duple time, so it feels in two, each beat a dotted quarter note that splits into three, which gives it its rolling, swaying lilt.

How do you count 6/8?

Count six eighth notes, 1 2 3 4 5 6, leaning on 1 and 4, so the bar falls into two beats of three. At a quick tempo, count just the two beats: 1 & a 2 & a.

Is 6/8 the same as 3/4?

No, though both hold six eighth notes. 6/8 groups them in two threes and feels in two; 3/4 groups them in three pairs and feels in three.

Why is 6/8 compound time?

Because each beat splits into three eighths, not two. Time signatures with 6, 9 or 12 over 8 are compound: two, three or four beats of three.

What music is in 6/8?

Irish jigs, many marches, ballads and slow rock songs that sway, and Mexican corridos tumbados.

Other time signatures

4/43/42/45/46/47/42/23/26/89/812/83/85/87/8

For any tempo in any of them, use the online metronome.

A corridos tumbados beat in 6/8

Open the free editor with a corridos tumbados beat in 6/8 playing, then add a melody, a bass line or your voice, part by part. No account needed to start.

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