Feeling the Difference Between 3/4 and 6/8 Time Signatures

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Time signature can be a confusing topic, but it doesn't have to be! In this video, I use clapping patterns to help you get a feel for the difference between 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures. These clapping patterns make it easier to feel the beat of a song, and using them will make you a more natural and intuitive musician.

A song in 3/4 time has three beats per measure and is counted 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3... This time signature is often referred to as waltz rhythm. For songs in 3/4 time, we count quarter notes (indicated by the 4) in sets of three (indicated by the 3). For songs in 6/8 time, we count eighth notes in sets of six. Eighth notes are shorter than quarter notes, so when we're playing in 6/8 time we have to count faster!

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I’m Melissa Stevenson, an ukulele teacher living in Silicon Valley. I help people discover their natural musical ability so they can share the joy of making music with their loved ones. On my channel and on my blog, I post practical advice and tutorials for beginning ukulele players. I also teach a four-lesson beginner's ukulele course in San Jose, CA. Let's Play!

[BacklineNurse]

I’ve been a musician all my life and I have ALWAYS struggled with distinguishing these two time signatures - you just cleared it up for me COMPLETELY in 5 minutes - THANK YOU!!!

[palfishessentials]

You are both an excellent communicator and educator. I am learning the drums and piano at the same time, and your videos are extremely clear and concise. Youtube is bursting at the seams with sub par tutorials, but I find your videos succinct and on point. Much thanks. :)

[newmanireland]

About a year ago I was ask to play bass in the church band. Prior to that I hadn't picked my up guitar over 18 years. Now, my passion for music is coming back but I need a lot of work on timing. Thank you for the video. It's very helpful.

[otv]

Many thanks! This was super helpful! Finally understand the difference!

[johnconnolly]

Wonderfully explained. I'm currently using 6/8 as measure for writing prose.

[atulff]

Although I play guitar, this was very helpful. Simple and effective.

[sundownerjames]

Really well explained, many thanks ! (I'm trying to learn Hallelujah on my bass in 6/8, to accompany 2 ukulele players and a singer guitarist )

[samroberts]

I think one of your other videos requested feedback, so in the hopes its useful, here goes.

I hear the song as

oh my darling oh my darling
1 2 3 1 2 3

etc. It's a series of 3-count english phrases, like a poem arranged in similar syllable count lines, and the song starts when the singing starts, and the fact that you clap a few times on different parts of your body first doesn't change that the song starts when you start singing. I feel like people keep showing me circles and saying, see, see how this is the natural start of the circle? I just don't hear it, and am starting to think I have some kind of amusia about meter and pickup notes.

The thing I've never heard in my scouring of the internet that I think might help me is someone playing ___exactly the same notes___ in 3/4 and then in 6/8 time, and with and without the pickup notes, so I can hear two things that differ only by meter, and not in all the other ways different tunes are different.

All the examples are of songs that have such different sounds, like the two here, that I just hear different songs, and I don't hear similarities between the ones that are supposed to have the same time signature. For example, greensleeves is also 6/8, but I don't hear it as being similar to either of the two songs demoed here, even if it is 6/8 time so should have some kind of rythmic similarities with the second.

[domperry]

Thanks for the video! Many places I read say that the two signatures sound incredibly different, but I personally think the difference between both is pretty subtle when listening. If you doubled the tempo of the first example but kept the same accents I don't think they would sound too different to me (maybe that could be an idea for a future video)! Of course I'm sure its more obvious to a trained ear.

One question I have is how do you determine that 6/8 has softer accents? Is there a theory rule that determines this or is it just convention?

[VPWedding]

I get 4/4 time for Fools Rush in. She produces 6/8 by dividing each beat into triplets. But that produces a beat so much faster than anything in the song that I find it unhelpful - every last word except "but" is on a 1beat.
1Wise 3men
1say 4only
1fools 3rush
1in. 4.6But
1I 3can't
1help 3falling in
1love 3with
1you.
Is there a name for this? Sub-beat? Super-beat?

[ddobrsky]

try conducting it. if you make a triangle, it's 3/4. if not, it's probably not. that's what works for me. see my other comment for more of an explanation - great post!

[mikesolomon]

Excellent videos. I have a question though. Would a slowed down 6/8 not be the same as 3/4 and the sped up 3/4 be a 6/8?

[jeffreyklaproth]

Maybe there’s a better way to explain this because it’s really confusing, maybe it’s just me. so for 34 time you said emphasize the 1 then go a little faster for 2 and 3, ok I misunderstood, I thought emphasize the 1 but maintain a steady time for all the beats. Nice job on the Elvis Acappella, I’m not a singer but that just seems really hard and you sounded really good.

[snakes_eatcatsyes]

This was so useful, finally the confusion that caused me to lose fifteen marks in an exam is gone!

[ddobrsky]

Great video. basically is the song in 3 or 2? | In 3 = 3/4 | in 2 = 6/8 (or 2/4). So essentially is each bar broken down into an even (2) or odd (3) rhythm? If 2 (even) beats per bar, then it could be: 2/4, 4/4, 12/8, 6/8{which is essentially 2/4 but further subdividing each of the 2 qu4rter notes into thr3e 8igth notes. 3*2 = 6 eight notes per bar so it's 6/8. If 3 (odd) beats per bar, then it could be: 3/4, 9/8, etc. Each rhythm is in 2, 3, 5, or any other prime number. yay math 🙄... btw, how many primes are there again? any mathematicians here? you'll get back to me? okok lol

[areyoucereals]

This helps a little, but I still struggle to find the difference. I always thought the first and fourth beats in 6/8 were emphasised in duration to give that jazzy swing feel to it, but now I'm starting to listen to waltzy songs and I'm getting it confused. Is the difference that the first and fourth beats should always sound different to continue the measure and differentiate it from 3/4?

[chrisking]

But if I speed up a 3/4 beat it's the same as a 6/8 at the respective slower speed. So wtf? Lol