Playing a triplet over 2 quarter notes.

I have some music written in 4/4. Many of the measures start with a triplet followed by 2 quarter notes. Thus the triplet must be played in the space of the first two quarter notes. I find that challenging. Does anyone have a tip or trick you have developed to help play 3 over 2 patterns correctly? Thank you.

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Originally Posted by Tim Logan

I have some music written in 4/4. Many of the measures start with a triplet followed by 2 quarter notes. Thus the triplet must be played in the space of the first two quarter notes. I find that challenging. Does anyone have a tip or trick you have developed to help play 3 over 2 patterns correctly? Thank you.

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If the tempo is brisk you just feel it, but at slower tempi the pros actually subdivide in their heads. In this case you "hear" triplets for each quarter note (12 for the whole measure), and then each of the large triplet gets two of those, like this:

// // // /// ///

This technique works in the other direction, such as playing four notes over three beats, like waltz time. In that case you count 16ths (4 for each quarter note) but play four notes worth three 16ths each.

Tom -
Ahhh! It took me a minute but I see what you are saying and I can definitely use that approach. I'm not really sure why that makes it easier to tap out but it seems to. Thanks again.

i know this is not terribly helpful, but I grew up in the south and I call this construct a "mosey" - kind of a drug out triplet. That's the way I play it, too. Tom's explanation makes more sense, but my old (southern) brain doesn't work fast enough for that.

X:1
T: Fun with Triplets
C:Played as damped harmonic at fifth fret
N:Tabbed by Simon DS
L: 1/8
M:4/4
K: G
P:Two (small) triplets followed by two quarter notes
|:vG2vG2vG2vG2|(3vGuGvG (3vGuGvG vG2 vG2|vG2vG2vG2vG2|(3vGuGvG (3vGuGvG vG2 vG2:|
P:A (big) triplet followed by two quarter notes
|:vc2vc2vc2vc2|(3vc2vc2vc2 vc2vc2|vc2vc2vc2vc2|(3vc2vc2vc2 vc2vc2:|

A lot of .abc players wont play the small triplets exactly like Irish triplets, (see below) but they’re close.



https://youtu.be/mtg3w7pmz_s

https://youtu.be/mtg3w7pmz_s

I am old enough to be have learned to count in the old "1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and," style, each quarter note being the number and the "and". Where triplets appear you change your counting to "1-and-a, 2-and-a, 3-and-a, 4-and-a". I count 6/8 jigs this way, much to the consternation of a fiddler friend who sticks to the compound time - two beats per measure while I am counting "1-and-a, 2-and-a,". I find this helps me to count in where there is an anacrusis starting the tune. To each his/her own! ;)

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Originally Posted by John Kelly

I am old enough to be have learned to count in the old "1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and," style, each quarter note being the number and the "and". Where triplets appear you change your counting to "1-and-a, 2-and-a, 3-and-a, 4-and-a". I count 6/8 jigs this way, much to the consternation of a fiddler friend who sticks to the compound time - two beats per measure while I am counting "1-and-a, 2-and-a,". I find this helps me to count in where there is an anacrusis starting the tune. To each his/her own! ;)

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I've always used trip-ple-et for these haha. Same idea.

There's also stuff like this https://assets.classicfm.com/2018/14...1523624520.jpg. I've used some of these with younger students, mostly the Apple Pie and Grape Soda.

That's very helpful. So it might be something like:
ARK-AN-SAS 3 4
over
( 1 2 3 4)

Excellent tip - thank you! I'm not sure why these tips help, but they sure do. This is great.

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Originally Posted by mbruno

I've always used trip-ple-et for these haha. Same idea.

There's also stuff like this https://assets.classicfm.com/2018/14...1523624520.jpg. I've used some of these with younger students, mostly the Apple Pie and Grape Soda.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by John Kelly

I am old enough to be have learned to count in the old "1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and," style, each quarter note being the number and the "and". Where triplets appear you change your counting to "1-and-a, 2-and-a, 3-and-a, 4-and-a". I count 6/8 jigs this way, much to the consternation of a fiddler friend who sticks to the compound time - two beats per measure while I am counting "1-and-a, 2-and-a,". I find this helps me to count in where there is an anacrusis starting the tune. To each his/her own! ;)

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I used to count like this, it’s very effective, mainly I believe because it’s linked to the chest, breathing, voice and speech centres of the old brain -with a feedback loop via the ears. :)
Nowadays for me at least it’s either ripples of learned patterns of rhythm beginning in my feet, or beginning in my picking hand. It’s a whole body experience. :))

I do like the (big) triplet, quarter note, quarter note pattern. It makes me think of 5/8 or 7/8 time. I like some of the OldTime tunes that do this, suddenly jump into an odd time signature, but just for a couple of mesures.

A couple of good examples: the beginning of I Don't Mind and the end of I Want To Hold Your Hand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID89t-KEOG8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otrH5hxJ2GE

Set your metronome to a slowish tempo and play a quarter note triplet and two quarter notes until it sounds right. Then change tempo and do it again. Etc...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tim Logan

I have some music written in 4/4. Many of the measures start with a triplet followed by 2 quarter notes. Thus the triplet must be played in the space of the first two quarter notes. I find that challenging. Does anyone have a tip or trick you have developed to help play 3 over 2 patterns correctly? Thank you.

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Tim, could you give an example of what you are looking at? I'm not sure some of the replies are in line with your question about playing 3 over 2.

Attachment 203587

From here: How do you count quarter note triplets in 4/4 time?

Ky -
Yes. Here is a portion of "Oblivion" by Piazzola. I hope you can see the image well enough. Thank you.

Attachment 203588

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Originally Posted by Tim Logan

Ky -
Yes. Here is a portion of "Oblivion" by Piazzola. I hope you can see the image well enough. Thank you.

Attachment 203588

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Here's Piazzola playing it. At this slow tempo you have time to mentally subdivide. It's what professionals do for accuracy. Strings playing that rhythm at about 1:15.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF-IMQzd_Jo

Quarter Note triplets are weird and can be difficult because the counting is strange. Here's a good video that explains it pretty well IMO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ7IQSInRGI

Matt -
I agree. That video is a superb approach - and that's what I'll use for practice. . Thanks so much for helping!!!