The Yellow Board

6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)

Posted by Bob Dobalina on 1/18/2021, 9:37 pm

How do you teach kids to count in 6/8? 1-2-3 4-5-6 or 1-la-li 2-la-li??

Re: 6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)

Posted by Klaactu on 1/19/2021, 2:14 pm, in reply to "6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)"

Make sure they understand the difference between simple meter and compound meter. I never heard the terms once in high school.

Re: 6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)

Posted by Me on 1/19/2021, 12:17 pm, in reply to "6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)"

I can't count past 5 without dropping something so I've always said 1 & a 2 & a, though the last year or so, I've said "two groups of three 8th notes" and counted "1 2 3 1 2 3". It goes against the way I learned, but the students seemed to pick it up faster that way so I think I'll keep it.

Re: 6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)

Posted by Jeremy on 1/19/2021, 9:40 am, in reply to "6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)"

I teach 1 2 3 4 5 6 ; 1 la li 2 la li and 1-- 2-- (dotted half notes).

Teach all three this way the kids will have a more thorough understanding.

Re: 6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)

Posted by Just me on 1/19/2021, 7:08 am, in reply to "6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)"

1 and a 2 and a

Someone told me a long time ago that 6/8 isn't really 6/eighth note, it's really 2/dotted quarter. That's the way I teach it to my kids.

Re: 6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)

Posted by GAH on 1/19/2021, 8:17 am, in reply to "Re: 6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)"

And that way is wrong in literally every counting system I know.

You should count it the same way you count triplets. If you count triplets "1 and a " you're simply not teaching them properly.

Re: 6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)

Posted by Adrian on 1/19/2021, 6:00 am, in reply to "6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)"

I use both depending on tempo and style. For a march I use 1 la li 2 la li, and for a tune like "What Child Is This" I use 1 2 3 4 5 6.

Re: 6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)

Posted by BDSO on 1/19/2021, 5:06 am, in reply to "6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)"

It depends on the tempo.
Slow in 6 = 1-2-3 4-5-6
Fast in 2 = 1-la-li 2-la-li

Re: 6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)

Posted by Me on 1/18/2021, 11:22 pm, in reply to "6/ 8 time ( I know it is not a fraction)"

1-la-li 2-la-li

However...when an etude calls for subdivision down to 32nd or 64th notes, I will switch to 1-2-3-4-5-6 for that piece.

« Back to index

313

[ The Yellow Board ]