Solo 3 - Trouble counting 12/8 time

Alan B. Go.

Blues Explorer
I'm having problems writing out the time and therefore keeping it in this solo especially when 16th notes are involved. Measures 5, 10 and 12 are examples of problem areas. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Alan B.
 

Jalapeno

Student Of The Blues
I'm having problems writing out the time and therefore keeping it in this solo especially when 16th notes are involved. Measures 5, 10 and 12 are examples of problem areas. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Alan B.
What I do is start by finding the beats. 12/8 will be 4 dotted quarters per measure, which are divided into 3 eighth notes per beat, or 6 16th notes per beat.

Here is measure 5
beates1.jpg


First find the notes in beat 1, you will need 6 16th notes. The dotted 8th rest is 3 16th notes so also add in the next 3 16th notes to fill out beat 1.
beat1.jpg


Next find the notes in beat 2, the 16th note triplets are counted as 3 notes in the space of 2 notes so to get the space of 6 16th notes start with the first two, then add the triplet rest and two triplet notes, and finish with 3 triplet notes. So you'll have 2 16th notes and 2 sets of 16th note triplets like this

beat2.jpg


The third beat is just reversed, 2 16th note triplets sets followed by 2 plain 16th notes

beat3.jpg


And the last beat will be 2 16th notes, followed by a quarter note rest, which is subdivided into 2 8th note rests or 4 16th note rests. Two 16th notes and four 16th note rests is six 16th notes, which is what each beat gets in 12/8 time.

beat4.jpg


I hope that helps.

Eric
 
Last edited:

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
No fancy graphics, but.....

After reviewing the May 15, 2020 AAP session "Counting SBS Solo 1".....

8th note gets 1 count, as does 16th note pair and 16th note triplet



Bar 5.jpg

Bar 10.jpg

Bar 12.jpg

Oops! dotted half at the end should just be 3 4 without a +, or 3 + u 4 + u, i.e. 6 counts.
 
Last edited:

Alan B. Go.

Blues Explorer
Paleo - thanks for your help as well. Having the "+" and "u" illustrated is very helpful indeed.

Alan B.
 
Top