The Difference Between 3/4 and 3/8 Time Signatures - Music Theory
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Date: 2022-03-28
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Comments and reviews: 10
Stephen
What would you have to say about contexts where there-s clearly switching compound time, and 3/8 is included in the mix? For example, music where there-s quite a bit of 6/8 time and then one 3/8 bar is thrown in and then it goes back to 6/8? I-d argue that in those contexts, 3/8 may act as a compound bar with one beat even though there are often easy ways to avoid writing it. (for example, if I was in such a situation and wanted it to be clear for the reader that a compound feel was necessary, I would probably write a bar in 9/8, encapsulating the previous bar). I am curious as to how you deal with this example - would you say we still feel it as compound? Would it count as non-conventional usage? Would you go so far as to say that the writer has done it wrong if they used 3/8 in this way? It-s funny, I think there-s quite a higher chance of encountering a 3/8 bar that acts like one beat as opposed to a bar of 1/4!!!
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What would you have to say about contexts where there-s clearly switching compound time, and 3/8 is included in the mix? For example, music where there-s quite a bit of 6/8 time and then one 3/8 bar is thrown in and then it goes back to 6/8? I-d argue that in those contexts, 3/8 may act as a compound bar with one beat even though there are often easy ways to avoid writing it. (for example, if I was in such a situation and wanted it to be clear for the reader that a compound feel was necessary, I would probably write a bar in 9/8, encapsulating the previous bar). I am curious as to how you deal with this example - would you say we still feel it as compound? Would it count as non-conventional usage? Would you go so far as to say that the writer has done it wrong if they used 3/8 in this way? It-s funny, I think there-s quite a higher chance of encountering a 3/8 bar that acts like one beat as opposed to a bar of 1/4!!!
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Trio
What about 3/2 and 6/4 time? I play alot of Scottish, Irish and English fiddle music. There are Scottish pipe marches and Irish slipjigs in 9/8, English folk dances and Morris dances in 3/2 and 6/4, etc. Are those just old fashioned relics from another age, or legit time signatures with their own internal logic and rhythm shorthand?
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What about 3/2 and 6/4 time? I play alot of Scottish, Irish and English fiddle music. There are Scottish pipe marches and Irish slipjigs in 9/8, English folk dances and Morris dances in 3/2 and 6/4, etc. Are those just old fashioned relics from another age, or legit time signatures with their own internal logic and rhythm shorthand?
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Richard
When defining time signatures it is better to talk of the upper number defining counts rather than beats. Get it clear at the outset - it saves a great deal of later confusion. Counts are not neccessarily the same as beats.
I'm amazed at how many publications and educators don't make the distinction early.
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When defining time signatures it is better to talk of the upper number defining counts rather than beats. Get it clear at the outset - it saves a great deal of later confusion. Counts are not neccessarily the same as beats.
I'm amazed at how many publications and educators don't make the distinction early.
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Jay
That was interesting, thanks! I suppose time signatures like 5/4 and 7/4 exist in a kind of nether region, not quite simple and not quite compound time. I guess they're sort of compound, depending on how the composer wants them played (i.e.: 3/4 + 2/4 or 2/4 + 3/4).
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That was interesting, thanks! I suppose time signatures like 5/4 and 7/4 exist in a kind of nether region, not quite simple and not quite compound time. I guess they're sort of compound, depending on how the composer wants them played (i.e.: 3/4 + 2/4 or 2/4 + 3/4).
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foxjacket
So Beethoven could have written Fur Elise in 3/4 but he just chose not to, and to communicate a faster tempo, would you say? Meanwhile, something like Chopin op 18 which is quite fast is written in 3/4. It would look very congested if it was in 3/8 -
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So Beethoven could have written Fur Elise in 3/4 but he just chose not to, and to communicate a faster tempo, would you say? Meanwhile, something like Chopin op 18 which is quite fast is written in 3/4. It would look very congested if it was in 3/8 -
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Matt
Is 15/16 is a compound or a complex time signature? Technically 15 is a multiple of 3 but when I came across it in actual music then the notes were arranged in 3 groups with 5 notes most of the time. That's also what I would use 15/16 for intuitively.
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Is 15/16 is a compound or a complex time signature? Technically 15 is a multiple of 3 but when I came across it in actual music then the notes were arranged in 3 groups with 5 notes most of the time. That's also what I would use 15/16 for intuitively.
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Ivan
I was expecting to know why a composer use 3 8 instead of 3 4 , specially when they can use the tempo notation if they want to speed up the music. It is then just a matter of personal taste about how the composer wants the score looks?
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I was expecting to know why a composer use 3 8 instead of 3 4 , specially when they can use the tempo notation if they want to speed up the music. It is then just a matter of personal taste about how the composer wants the score looks?
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fretlessman71
After watching this video, I have come to the conclusion that if a piece is in 3/X, and it's fast enough to be able to easily feel it in -One, one, one-, then I shall call it 3/8, but otherwise stick to 3/4. Thanks!
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After watching this video, I have come to the conclusion that if a piece is in 3/X, and it's fast enough to be able to easily feel it in -One, one, one-, then I shall call it 3/8, but otherwise stick to 3/4. Thanks!
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HowlingUlf
You can't have one beat thumping at you?
Wanna bet? Turn on the radio! :D
Yes, I know, techincally it's all 4/4 on the radio but you know ... that pile crane groove might as well be in 1/4!
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You can't have one beat thumping at you?
Wanna bet? Turn on the radio! :D
Yes, I know, techincally it's all 4/4 on the radio but you know ... that pile crane groove might as well be in 1/4!
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Ships
Gareth, you didn-t mention what the composer would write if he had a section of music that he was writing in 3/8 that the hammer sound was desired - . I guess that would be written in..
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Gareth, you didn-t mention what the composer would write if he had a section of music that he was writing in 3/8 that the hammer sound was desired - . I guess that would be written in..
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