rhythm guide · 5 min
3/4 vs 6/8 Time: Count and Hear the Difference
Learn the difference between 3/4 and 6/8 time with a counting chart, metronome settings and a short clapping exercise. Understand which note gets the beat.
3/4 has three quarter-note beats per bar, each divided into two eighth notes. 6/8 usually has two dotted-quarter beats, each divided into three eighth notes. Both bars can hold six eighth notes, but their grouping differs: 2 + 2 + 2 versus 3 + 3.
| What to count | 3/4 time | 6/8 time |
|---|---|---|
| Main beats per bar | 3 | 2 |
| Main beat value | Quarter note | Dotted-quarter note |
| Eighth-note grouping | 2 + 2 + 2 | 3 + 3 |
| Say it aloud | ONE and TWO and THREE and | ONE la li TWO la li |
| At 180 eighth notes per minute | Quarter note = 90 BPM | Dotted quarter = 60 BPM |
Why six eighth notes can feel different
A time signature describes rhythmic organization, not just a fraction to simplify. In 3/4, tap your foot three times while saying one-and, two-and, three-and. In 6/8, tap twice while saying one-la-li, two-la-li. Keep all six syllables evenly spaced. The foot taps reveal the difference.
The theory terms are simple triple for 3/4 and compound duple for 6/8. Simple means that a beat divides in two; compound means it divides in three. Triple and duple name the three or two main beats. Open Music Theory explains this grouping and division distinction in the references below.
Set this metronome correctly for 6/8
Music Tools Now plays six evenly spaced clicks per bar in its 6/8 setting. The displayed BPM counts those eighth-note clicks, not the two larger dotted-quarter beats. Only the first click is accented; supply the second main pulse yourself on click four.
For a score marked dotted quarter = 60, choose 6/8 and enter 180 BPM here: three eighth-note clicks fit inside each main beat. The six clicks then take two seconds. At dotted quarter = 80, enter 240. The tool stops at 300 clicks per minute, so this six-click method covers main beats up to 100 BPM.
For 3/4 at quarter note = 90, choose 3/4 and enter 90. Each click is a main beat. Say an additional 'and' halfway between clicks. The bar again lasts two seconds, but now your foot taps three times instead of twice.
A two-minute clapping exercise
Start with 3/4 at 90 BPM. Clap on each click for four bars, saying the eighth notes aloud. Then stop the metronome, select 6/8 and set 180 BPM. Keep the syllables moving at the same speed, but clap only on clicks one and four. Repeat four bars.
Alternate those settings twice. If you speed up when switching, count six equal syllables before adding the claps again. Once the grouping feels clear, play a single piano note on each clap. You can hear the change in meter without needing a melody or a difficult fingering.
When a BPM number needs a note value
A marking of 60 BPM alone leaves an important question: sixty of which note? Check the note symbol next to the number in the score. Dotted quarter = 60 and eighth note = 60 describe very different speeds in 6/8.
Tap tempo also follows whichever pulse you tap. Tapping every eighth note in a 6/8 passage gives three times the result of tapping the two large beats. Decide what you are counting before comparing the reading with a published tempo.
Try it now
Open the 6/8 metronome preset, enter 180 BPM and clap on clicks one and four. Then switch to 3/4 at 90 BPM and clap on every click. Both bars last two seconds.
Open Online Metronome →Frequently asked questions
Is 6/8 the same as 3/4?
No. Both can contain six eighth notes, but 3/4 normally groups them in three pairs and 6/8 in two groups of three. That changes the main pulse.
What BPM should I use for 6/8?
First check the beat unit. This site's 6/8 setting clicks on every eighth note, so multiply a dotted-quarter tempo by three. Dotted quarter = 60 needs 180 BPM here.
Sources and further reading
These references explain the theory. The practice examples and instructions for Music Tools Now were prepared for this guide.