Who this is for
Learners who know simple time signatures, note values and rests. Already count 6/8, syncopation and 7/8 comfortably? Test out on Day 5.
Best done after: Rhythm Basics. It is advice, not a rule: every lesson has short "rusty on…?" boxes for anything you skipped.
Why learn this
Simple time (4/4, 3/4) splits every beat in two. A lot of music splits it in three instead: jigs, lullabies, slow blues, gospel. Other music places notes **between** the beats, which is where groove lives. And some music uses beats in groups of five or seven.
This program covers these in order: compound time first, then syncopation, then triplets and swing, then the odd meters. Everything builds on the beat and the bar from Rhythm Basics.
What you will be able to do
- Compound time: 6/8, 9/8, 12/8
- Counting in groups of three
- Syncopation and the off-beat
- Triplets and swing
- Odd meters: 5/4, 7/8
The 5-day plan
- Compound time: 6/8. Count 6/8 as two beats of three, and recognise compound time.
- 9/8, 12/8 and 6/8 versus 3/4. Read 9/8 and 12/8, and tell 6/8 from 3/4.
- Syncopation. Hear and read rhythms that put weight between the beats.
- Triplets and swing. Know what a triplet is and what swing does to eighth notes.
- Odd meters. Count 5/4 and 7/8 as groups of twos and threes.
How each session works
Every day follows the shape of a workout. It starts with a warm-up that reviews earlier days, then technique: a short, plain explanation with a small interactive tool to try it on. Then come the working sets, drills with instant feedback, and a finisher, a short test with a pass mark so you only build on things you can do. A cool-down recaps the day and previews the next.
Choose your split
The daily split is a session a day: done in a week. The easy split is a session every other day, with rest days between: two weeks, and a gentler pace. On your own pace there is no schedule. Nothing is ever locked, and you can change split at any time.
What comes next
Sound, Overtones and Tuning: The 5-Day Program. See the whole training plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 6/8 and 3/4?
Both have six eighth notes in a bar. In 3/4 they group as three pairs (1 & 2 & 3 &): two-beat swing times three. In 6/8 they group as two threes (1 2 3 4 5 6): two big beats, each split in three.
What is compound time?
A time signature where each beat splits into three, not two: 6/8, 9/8, 12/8. The beat is a dotted note.
What is syncopation?
Accenting a weak beat or the off-beat, so the rhythm goes against the expected pulse. It is what makes funk, jazz and reggae feel like they groove.
What is a triplet?
Three notes played in the time of two: a beat divided in three instead of two. It gives the rolling feel of "triple" rhythm inside simple time.
How do I count 7/8?
In groups, usually 2+2+3 or 3+2+2: "1 2, 1 2, 1 2 3". The groups give it a limping, irregular feel.