17: Triplets!
Example 17.2 Sixteenth note triplets and their count.
Quarter Note Triplets
Quarter note triplets are difficult to count accurately, so I’ve saved them
for last.
Using the triplet rule for quarter note triplets means that the quarter note
triplet takes place over the length of two quarter notes, or two beats.
Quarter note triplets are two beats long.
Quarter note triplets have a curvy line over them, with the three in the
middle. This curvy line simply groups the notes together so you can tell
which three notes are in the triplet. Here’s what they look like.The reason quarter note triplets are difficult to count is that you have to
divide two beats three ways, and we don’t easily think in thirds. If we
divide 2 by three, we get 2/3, so each note of the quarter note triplet is
2/3 of a beat long.
This makes regulating the length of a quarter note triplet with the foot tap
difficult, but not impossible. Let’s break it down.
The first note of the triplet is easy because it starts right on the beat, or
when the foot hits the floor.
The second note of the triplet happens 2/3 of a beat after the first, so your
foot will have gone up and will just be coming down when the second
note starts.1 la li + la li 2 + 1 + la li 2 + la li 1 + la li 2