6/8 Metronome
Tap a beat to accent or mute it
bpm Andante
Time signature
Subdivision
Sound
Custom time signature
- Space Play / stop
- Up arrowDown arrow Tempo
- T Tap tempo
- 1-4 Sounds
Speed Trainer
6/8 has six eighth notes in every bar, grouped in two sets of three. It feels like two big beats, each one split into three, and it gives ballads, folk songs and Irish jigs their rocking, rolling motion.
What does 6/8 mean?
The top 6 means six notes per bar, and the bottom 8 means they are eighth notes. Musicians call 6/8 a compound time signature, because each main beat is made of three smaller ones. You feel two beats per bar, not six.
TypeCompound duple, 6 eighth notes per bar
How to count 6/8
Say it: "ONE two three, FOUR five six"
Count all six eighth notes and lean on 1 and 4. Beat 1 is the strongest, beat 4 is the second strongest, and the others are light. Once you can feel it, you will tap your foot just twice per bar, on 1 and 4.
Accent patterns to try
Press a pattern to set the metronome to it and start the click.
The tempo in 6/8
In 6/8 the metronome clicks every eighth note. The tempo number still counts quarter notes, so you hear twice as many clicks as the number says: at 90 bpm that is 180 clicks a minute. The big beat you tap your foot to is three eighth notes long, so it moves at two thirds of the number: 60 beats a minute at 90 bpm. For a big beat of 60, set the tempo to 90.
How 6/8 feels
6/8 sways. The two big beats give it a slow, steady pulse, while the three notes inside each beat keep it flowing. That is why so many rock ballads and slow songs use it.
The simplest 6/8 strum is a downstroke on every eighth note, with the 1 and the 4 a little louder. Once that is steady, try picking the bass note on 1 and 4 and strumming the higher strings in between.
Songs in 6/8
- Nothing Else Matters by Metallica
- Norwegian Wood by The Beatles
- Iris by Goo Goo Dolls
- You've Got to Hide Your Love Away by The Beatles
Practice 6/8 on guitar
- Strum a downstroke on all six clicks, counting "1 2 3 4 5 6" and hitting 1 and 4 harder.
- Pick the bass note of the chord on 1 and 4, and strum the top strings on the other clicks.
- Switch to main beats only. You hear two clicks a bar and play all six eighth notes in between.
- Change chords on beat 1, or on beats 1 and 4 for faster progressions.
Learn 6/8 with a teacher
Hear it played, count along and try it yourself with these video lessons from the Infinite Guitar library:
Other time signatures
6/8 time FAQ
Is 6/8 the same as 3/4?
No. Both fit six eighth notes in a bar, but 3/4 groups them in three pairs (1 and 2 and 3 and) and feels like three beats, while 6/8 groups them in two sets of three (1 2 3 4 5 6) and feels like two beats.
How many beats are in a bar of 6/8?
Six eighth notes, but you feel two main beats, each a dotted quarter note long. That is why 6/8 is called compound duple time.
Why does the metronome click six times in 6/8?
It clicks every eighth note so you can hear the groups of three. Switch to main beats only if you would rather hear just the two big beats.