17: Triplets!
General Tuplet Information
The notes you’re about to learn are called triplets, and they belong to a
group of notes known as tuplets.
A tuplet is a group of notes that doesn’t follow the normal rules of
counting. Some examples would be duplets (2 notes), triplets (three
notes), quintuplets (5 notes), and sextuplets (6 notes). Of course there are
also septuplets, octuplets and on and on, but you get the idea, right? In
this chapter you’ll learn triplets because they’re the most common, and
the easiest to understand.
The rule you’ll want to remember for triplets, is that a triplet (three
notes) takes place in the amount of time it would normally take to play
two of the triplet notes at their regular length. Sound confusing? A
concrete example will help explain.Eighth Note Triplet
Eighth note triplets are the most common triplet and the easiest to count
and to feel. The three notes of the triplet are beamed together, and there is
a small three over the beam telling you the figure is a triplet. They look
like this:All triplets are played in the time of two notes of equal value. What this
means for the eighth note triplet is that the eighth note triplet is played in
the amount of time it normally takes to play two eighth notes, which is
one beat.
An eighth note triplet is one beat long.
In the next example you can see how eighth note triplets are counted. Be
sure to tap your foot as you count so that your foot hits the floor on all the
numbers.