Music Fundamentals A Balanced Approach

Changing the Pulse Note in Compound Meter: The Dotted

Half Note and Dotted Eighth Note

The most common pulse note value in compound meter is the dotted quarter note.(Review Module 8 beginning
on page 191.) Less frequently, composers use the dotted half noteor the dotted eighth noteas the main pulse
note. The chart compares these different note values: dotted quarter, dotted half, and dotted eighth.

RHYTHM: COMPOUND METER EXPANDED

Compound

duple

Compound

triple

Compound

quadruple

Main

q .pulse note

Divided

beat

Main

h .pulse note

Divided

beat

Main

e.pulse note

Divided

beat

6

8

9

8

9

16

12

16

9

16

309 Changing the Pulse Note in Compound Meter:
The Dotted Half Note and Dotted Eighth Note

312 The Triplet

317 The Duplet

319 Workbook

MODULE 12 RHYTHM: COMPOUND METER EXPANDED

309