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Rhythmic

Notation

Charts

Standard

Time

Signatures

Each beat in a compound meter is divided by a "triple" pattern of notes (e.g., three eighth notes).

In other words, a piece of music in "twelve-eight" time would contain twelve eighths notes (i.e., four sets of three eighth notes each) per measure:

As you just heard, each beat consists of a grouping of three notes, or "triplets."

In a compound meter, there is a natural emphasis on the measure's downbeat and then a slighter emphasis on the first eighth note of each set of three eighth notes:

Therefore, its rhythmic feel is more like four beats to the measure, but each beat is divided by a triple series of notes (three eighth notes) instead of a duple series.