Rhythm tutorial: how to count 6/8

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s in a six-eight time signature if we take the numbers literally the six means there are six beats per measure the eight means that an eighth note gets a beat you won't see all the eighth notes as individuals they are placed in groups, but in six eight you won't You'll see the usual groups of twos and six-eighth notes are grouped in groups of three, sometimes six-eight music is slow enough to

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each eighth note as one two three four five six most of the time, although six eight , it will be counted faster and we will not focus on each eighth note but on the groups of three in six eights, there are two groups of three.

When we count the groups, we will give a beat number to the first note of each group and say and uh for the other notes, so a measure of 6 8 is counted 1 and 2 and we can combine some of these notes to make another six eight common

rhythm

s, if we combine the first two eighth notes of each group, now we will not say the syllable and we are left with one to two uh we can rewrite this rhythm by combining two eighth notes into a quarter note this common rhythm of six eight is counted one to two to one to two uh if we combine three eighth notes we would leave aside the syllables y and uh and we are left only with the time numbers, three eighth notes joined together are equivalent to a dotted quarter note, so combining the group of three in one note will give us this rhythm counted one two one two one two if we combine all the eighth notes into a single note, we can simply say one and hold it while feeling that both groups of three join all these notes and it will give us a dotted half note that takes up the entire measure of six eight, it is counted one, one, six eight.

It may seem confusing at first, but with a little practice you will find that it is usually easy to reproduce. For more beat videos and free access to these presentation slides, visit amplifiedwarmups.com

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s. Thanks for seeing you.