TRACK 66—CLASS EXERCISEListen to “A Little Hunting Song” by Schumann or another piece in 6/8. Discuss accents, staccatos, and
the grouping of the three eighth notes in the last two measures of “A Little Hunting Song.” Listen to the
piece again; clap the two main beats along with the music while emphasizing the first beat slightly louder
than the second.Meteris the regular grouping of strong and weak beats or pulses. Earlier, we studied simple meterwhere the
upper number of the time signature is 2 , 3 ,or 4 ;the division of the main pulse is into groupings of twoor
multiples of two and the lower number of the time signature represents the pulse note. (For example, the lower
number four is used to represent the quarter note.)
In compound meter,the pulse note is a dotted note which divides equally into groups of threeor multiples
of three. Therefore the upper numberof a compound time signature is divisible by three: 6, 9, 12.
- 6 signifies compound duple.
- 9 signifies compound triple.
- 12 signifies compound quadruple.
In compound meter, the lower number in a time signature cannot represent the pulse note since the pulse note
is a dotted note. Therefore, the lower numberrepresents the subdivisionof the dotted note.
Note: Although the number 3 in the time signature 3/4 is a multiple of three, 3/4 is a simple meter because the
main pulse, the quarter note, is divided into groups of two, NOT groups of three. This will be discussed later
in this module.
We will begin our study of compound meters by comparing the most common compound meter time
signatures, 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8, with comparable time signatures in simple meter, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4.
The chart opposite compares simple and compound meters and their corresponding time signatures.
Inthe left column showing simple meters, the main pulse is a quarter note, which can be divided into groups
of two eighth notes. Inthe right column showing compound meters, the main pulse is a dotted quarter note,
which can be divided into groups of three eighth notes.
In a 6/8 compound time signature, we may count six eighth notes in one measure. These six eighth notes
are beamed into groups of three; we therefore count (and feel) two groups of three eighth notes ( ), or
twodotted quarter notes ( ).
Consequently, there are two simultaneous rhythms in compound music: one is the main dotted note pulse,
and the other is the division of the dotted note into three equal parts.
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MODULE 8
Vocabulary note
COMPOUND METER
In compound meter, the upper number of the time signature is 6, 9, or 12 (all multiples of three). To determine the meter of a
compound rhythm, divide the upper number of the time signature by 3. Therefore, when the upper number is a 6, this is
compound duple;when the upper number is a 9 this is compound triple,and when the upper number is 12 this is compound
quadruple.