# Dividing the 'pulse' into three



## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

4/4 is 4 beats a measure (top number), with quarter note (bottom number) as the note division.

The key word here is* "beats."* 120 beats per minute could expressed by any *note division* (the number on bottom): 1(whole note), 2 (half note),4 (quarter note),8 (eighth note),16 (sixteenth note), 32 (thirty-second note), 64 (sixty-fourth note).

Notice: note values (divisions) go by* 2's:* 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32.

How many "beats" is the top number. 4/4 has 4 beats, 4/8 has four beats, 4/16 has four beats, 4/32 has four beats, etc.
3/4 has three beats, 3/8 has three beats, 3/16 has three beats, etc.

The trick is, if you want to divide a "pulse beat" into three. This is common in most blues & r&b songs.

The note values go by 2's, so if you want a "3" note, you must use a dot: dotted quarter equals 1-1/2 quarter notes (or three eighth notes), dotted eighth note equals 1-1/2 eighth notes (or three sixteenth notes), etc.

We cannot put this "3" into the bottom number of a time signature. There is no "3/3" or "4/3."

We have to write it this way: 6/8 or 12/8.
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6/8 *means "six beats in a measure, eighth note gets one beat." *1*23/*4*56, *1*23/*4*56, *1*23/*4*56, *1*23/*4*56, etc.

Notice how there are *2 "main pulses"* not able to be written into our signature system: on* 1* and *4.* Each main pulse is divided into three: *1*23/*4*56, with* two main pulses* in each measure. This is usually the bass pulse, and bass drum pulse.
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12/8* means "12 beats in a measure, eighth note gets one beat." *1*23/*4*56/*7*89/*10* 11 12.

Notice how there are 4 "main pulses" not able to be written into our time signature system: on *1**, 4**, 7**, *and*10*. Each main pulse is divided into three: *1*23/*4*56/*7*89/*10* 11 12, with *four main pulses* per measure. This is the 'walking bass' heard in blues: 1,4,7,10. 1-2-3-4. Boom boom boom boom.​


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