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6/8 Metronome
A metronome counting in 6/8 — six eighth notes to the bar, felt as two pulses of three. Jigs, slow blues, doo-wop ballads and a great deal of folk music live here.
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Generate drum loops with Drumloop AIUnderstanding 6/8 time
Six eighth notes per bar, grouped into two: ONE-two-three FOUR-five-six. That grouping is the whole point. Although there are six counted units, the felt pulse is two — each of them a dotted quarter note carrying three eighths. Meters that work this way are called compound, and they are what gives 6/8 its characteristic rolling, lilting motion.
This is why 6/8 is so different from 3/4 despite containing the same number of eighth notes. 3/4 is simple triple time: three beats, each divided in two. 6/8 is compound duple: two beats, each divided in three. If you tap along and naturally fall into two taps per bar, you are hearing 6/8; if you fall into three, you are hearing 3/4.
The repertoire is wide. Irish and Scottish jigs are almost all in 6/8. So is a large share of slow blues, where the triplet feel underpins the shuffle, and doo-wop ballads of the fifties, where the twelve-eight variant is more common still. In rock it appears in ballads that want a swaying feel rather than a straight one. Because this metronome treats the eighth note as the pulse, the tempo number here refers to eighth notes — set it to 120 and you get two dotted-quarter pulses per second.
Where 6/8 shows up
| Use | Detail |
|---|---|
| Jigs | The standard meter of Irish and Scottish dance tunes. |
| Slow blues | The triplet feel that underpins the shuffle. |
| Doo-wop ballads | Fifties ballads, often notated in 12/8. |
| Rock ballads | Used when a song wants to sway rather than march. |
Counting 6/8
The metronome above accents the first beat of each group, so you can hear the shape of the bar rather than just its length. In 6/8 that means 3 + 3 — two dotted-quarter pulses, each split into three.
| Beat | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accent | Strong | · | · | Strong | · | · |
Frequently asked questions
How do I count 6/8 time?
Count "ONE-two-three FOUR-five-six", putting the weight on one and four. Although there are six counts, you should feel two pulses per bar. If you tap your foot, it should land twice per bar, not six times.
Is 6/8 the same as 3/4?
No, although both bars hold six eighth notes. 3/4 is three beats each split in two; 6/8 is two beats each split in three. The accents fall in different places, so the two feel entirely different — 3/4 is a waltz, 6/8 is a jig.
What is compound time?
A meter in which each beat divides into three rather than two. 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8 are the common ones. The bottom number refers to eighth notes, but the felt pulse is the dotted quarter — which is why a 6/8 bar has six counts but only two beats.
Can I get drum loops in 6/8?
Yes. Describe the groove and the meter you want and Drumloop AI generates an original, royalty-free loop. The free drum loop library is a good starting point for standard meters.
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