Compound Meter

Understanding compound meters is somewhat more complex. Several preparatory
statements will assist in comprehension:

1.

Compound Meters have certain characteristics that will enable
prompt recognition:

a. The upper number is 3 or a multiple of 3.

b. The prevailing background pulse must be a dotted value:

remember, in compound meter, the pulse must have the capacity
to divide into three equal portions.

c. Subdivisions of the background pulse are usually grouped in sets of

three by the use of beams (ligatures).

2.

In theory, any Compound Meter may be perceived as Simple
Meter,

depending upon the tempo:

a. If a tempo is slow enough, any compound time signature may be

perceived as a simple meter.

b. In practice, this is limited by style and context in compositions.

3.

In Compound Meter, the written time signature represents the
level of First Division,

not Pulse:

a. In order to find the pulse value in compound time signatures, use

the Time Signature Table. List First Division values (the written
time signature) in groupings of three.

b. Sum these to the dotted value representing Pulse. List these

accordingly in the Table.

As with Simple time signatures, let us employ the same Time Signature Table to
graph Compound time signatures. Reviewing

Statement 3

above, we will follow a

slightly different procedure than that used for graphing Simple Meter:

1. For the Compound Duple time signature

6

8

list six eighth-notes in two

groupings of three in the First Division row:

Chapter 1 The Elements of Rhythm: Sound, Symbol, and Time

1.2 Pulse, Tempo, and Meter

25