7/8 Metronome
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7/8 has seven eighth notes in every bar. It is one eighth note shorter than a bar of 4/4, and it is the odd meter you hear most in progressive rock, metal and Balkan folk music.
What does 7/8 mean?
The top 7 means seven notes per bar, and the bottom 8 means they are eighth notes. Seven does not split evenly, so 7/8 is always felt as groups of twos and threes.
TypeOdd meter, 7 eighth notes per bar
How to count 7/8
Say it: "ONE two, THREE four, FIVE six sev"
Count the seven eighth notes and accent the start of each group. Say "sev" and not "seven", because "seven" has two syllables and will throw your count off. The three common groupings are 2+2+3, 3+2+2 and 2+3+2, and the patterns below play each one on the metronome.
Accent patterns to try
Press a pattern to set the metronome to it and start the click.
The tempo in 7/8
In 7/8 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 100 bpm that is 200 clicks a minute.
How 7/8 feels
A bar of 7/8 feels like a bar of 4/4 that trips forward a little early. Each grouping has its own personality: 2+2+3 limps at the end, while 3+2+2 lurches right at the start.
Many guitarists learn 7/8 by thinking of it as 4/4 with the last eighth note cut off. Count "1 and 2 and 3 and 4" and start the next bar right away.
Songs in 7/8
- Them Bones by Alice in ChainsThe verses
- The Ocean by Led ZeppelinMain riff, a bar of 7/8 then a bar of 4/4
- Paranoid Android by RadioheadA section that switches between 7/8 and 4/4
- Schism by ToolMixed with 5/8 and 6/8
- Heart of Glass by BlondieThe break after the second chorus
Practice 7/8 on guitar
- Set the tempo to 80 bpm and play one muted string on every click, counting out loud with the accents.
- Play a power chord on the first click of each group and rest on the others. Try every grouping.
- Play a 4/4 riff and drop its last eighth note. That is a 7/8 riff.
- Switch groupings without stopping, so you can hear and feel the difference.
Learn 7/8 with a teacher
Hear it played, count along and try it yourself with these video lessons from the Infinite Guitar library:
Other time signatures
7/8 time FAQ
How do you count 7/8 time?
Count seven eighth notes, "1 2 3 4 5 6 sev", and accent the start of each group. In 2+2+3 the accents fall on 1, 3 and 5.
What is the difference between 7/8 and 7/4?
Both have seven pulses per bar. In 7/4 each pulse is a quarter note, in 7/8 each is an eighth note, so 7/8 bars go by twice as fast at the same tempo.
Which grouping should I use?
Whichever the music uses. Listen to where the riff or the drums put their accents and match it. If you are writing your own part, try all three and pick the one you like.