[Listening extract audio not available in printed QP. Skeleton score in Insert.] Study the rhythmic extract below, written in 6/8 time. (a) How many strong ...

(a) Two strong beats per bar [1]

In 6/8 time, each bar contains six quavers (eighth notes), but these are felt as two main strong beats, not six. The quavers group naturally into two sets of three: beats 1-2-3 and 4-5-6, with the primary stress on quaver 1 and a secondary stress on quaver 4. This makes 6/8 a compound duple time signature - "compound" because each main beat subdivides into three, and "duple" because there are two main beats per bar. A conductor would give two beats per bar, each representing a dotted crotchet (dotted quarter note).

(b) Grouping difference between 6/8 and 3/4 [1]

Although both 6/8 and 3/4 contain six quavers per bar, they group those quavers differently:

• 6/8 (compound duple): quavers are grouped in two groups of three (strong-weak-weak, strong-weak-weak). There are two main beats per bar, each subdividing into three. The feel is "ONE-two-three, TWO-two-three."
• 3/4 (simple triple): quavers are grouped in three groups of two (strong-weak, strong-weak, strong-weak). There are three main beats per bar, each subdividing into two. The feel is "ONE-and, TWO-and, THREE-and."

The key distinction is the internal subdivision: compound (three subdivisions per beat) versus simple (two subdivisions per beat). This difference fundamentally changes the rhythmic feel, even though the total number of quavers is the same.