9/8 Metronome

Tap a beat to accent or mute it

bpm Andante

Time signature

Subdivision

Sound

  • Space Play / stop
  • Up arrowDown arrow Tempo
  • T Tap tempo
  • 1-4 Sounds

Speed Trainer

9/8 has nine eighth notes in every bar. Most of the time it is grouped in three sets of three, which feels like a waltz with every beat split into a triplet. It can also be grouped unevenly, which turns it into an odd meter.

What does 9/8 mean?

The top 9 means nine notes per bar, and the bottom 8 means they are eighth notes. Grouped 3+3+3, it is a compound time signature with three big beats, like 3/4 with triplets. Grouped 2+2+2+3, the bar limps at the end.

TypeCompound triple, 9 eighth notes per bar

How to count 9/8

Say it: "ONE two three, FOUR five six, SEV eight nine"

For 3+3+3, count all nine and lean on 1, 4 and 7, or count the three big beats with triplets in between: "1 and a, 2 and a, 3 and a". For 2+2+2+3, accent 1, 3, 5 and 7, and give the last group an extra note.

Accent patterns to try

Press a pattern to set the metronome to it and start the click.

The tempo in 9/8

In 9/8 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 9/8 feels

In the 3+3+3 grouping, 9/8 rolls and spins. Irish slip jigs are written in 9/8 this way. In the 2+2+2+3 grouping it feels like it is about to fall over at the end of every bar, and that tension is the fun of it.

Songs in 9/8

  • Blue Rondo à la Turk by Dave Brubeck QuartetMostly 2+2+2+3
  • The Crunge by Led ZeppelinMain groove, grouped 5+4
  • Apocalypse in 9/8 by GenesisFrom Supper's Ready
  • I Hung My Head by StingGrouped 2+3+2+2

Practice 9/8 on guitar

  1. Set the tempo to 70 bpm and strum a downstroke on every click with the 3+3+3 accents.
  2. Pick a bass note on 1, 4 and 7 and strum the top strings in between.
  3. Switch to 2+2+2+3 and play a chord on each accent. Notice how the last group feels longer.
  4. Alternate one bar of each grouping to train your ear to hear the difference.

Learn 9/8 with a teacher

Hear it played, count along and try it yourself with these video lessons from the Infinite Guitar library:

Time Signatures: 9/8 - Overview Sean Conklin Time Signatures: 9/8 - Example 1 (Easy) Sean Conklin Time Signatures: 9/8 - Example 2 (Advanced) Sean Conklin

Other time signatures

4/4Simple quadruple 3/4Simple triple 2/4Simple duple 6/8Compound duple 12/8Compound quadruple 5/4Odd meter (quintuple) 7/8Odd meter 5/8Odd meter 15/16Odd meter (sixteenth notes) 19/16Odd meter (sixteenth notes)

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9/8 time FAQ

Is 9/8 an odd time signature?

It depends on the grouping. 3+3+3 is compound triple time, with three even beats. Grouped 2+2+2+3 or 2+3+2+2, it is uneven, and most people call that an odd meter.

What is the difference between 9/8 and 3/4?

Grouped 3+3+3, 9/8 feels like 3/4 with every beat played as a triplet. 3/4 splits each beat into two eighth notes, 9/8 splits each one into three.

How fast is 9/8 on this metronome?

The tempo counts quarter notes and the click plays eighth notes, so you hear twice the number shown. The big beats in 3+3+3 move at two thirds of the number.