6/8 Time Signature

Question

In one measure of music with a 6/8 time signature, how many 16ths occupy the measure? How many 32ths?

Answer 1

To understand how to answer this question, it helps to first know how to read time signatures. Time signatures are generally composed of two integers, one on top of the other (there are a few rarer exceptions, but we can leave those for now). The topmost number of the time signature refers to the number of beats that are in a given measure organized by that time signature. The bottom-most number, meanwhile, refers to the value of those beats, such as "quarter notes," "eighth notes," "sixteenth notes," etc.

To take what might be the most common example, we can read the time signature of 4/4 to mean that each measure will contain four beats (upper number = 4) where each beat is written as a quarter note (lower number = 4). If the time signature was 3/4, that would mean there are three beats (upper = 3) of quarter notes (lower = 4), and so on and so forth.

In this case, our time signature is 6/8, which means there are six beats (upper = 6) with each beat consisting of an eighth note (lower = 8). See how that works? With this in mind, if we needed to find how many sixteenth notes are in a measure of 6/8, all we need to do is remember that each eighth note can be divided into two sixteenth notes. By multiplying the number of eighth notes by two (two for each beat) we get our answer: 6 * 2 = 12. There are 12 sixteenth notes in a measure of 6/8.

Then, to find the number of thirty-second notes in a measure of 6/8, we repeat the process. Remembering that there are two thirty-second notes in each sixteenth notes, we have 12 sixteenth notes so two for each sixteenth would be 12 * 2, which equals 24. There are 24 thirty-second notes in a measure of 6/8.

Answer 2

You would have 12 16 notes in a measure of 6/8 time, and you would have 24 32 notes in a measure.

Answer 3

Two 16ths make up one 8th, thus in one 6/8 measure there are 12 16ths. There are twice as many 32ths, thus there are 24 32ths.

Keep your time signature in mind when creating rhythms for your beat and melody. Usually with a 6/8 time signature you would accent the down beat and the 4th 8th: ONE two three FOUR five six, however you are not restricted to use accents on these beats. You are free to compose your music however you wish, however you do need to maintain the correct number of beats in whatever time signature you choose.

An example of a rhythm you could use either in a beat or a melody in 6/8 is 8th 16th 16th 8th 8th 16th 16th 8th: ONE two and three FOUR five and six.