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Just a quick question.

Can I use 2/4 with triplets instead of 6/8; will I get the same groove?

I guess the only difference is that in the case of 2/4, my second down beat would be more accented than the second one in 6/8?

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    "I guess the only difference is that in the case of 2/4, my second down beat would be more accented than the second one in 6/8?" People theorize quite a lot about different time signatures implying such subtle differences, but in practice the choice is pretty much arbitrary and subjective. Any subtle difference intended by the composer is likely to be overwhelmed by measurement error, in any event: different performers will interpret the two options differently.
    – phoog
    Commented Jul 12 at 15:59
  • In fact ternary division over binary division is commonly notated using 6/8 and 2/4 in different staves, implying the same beat but a different division of the beat.
    – Lazy
    Commented Jul 12 at 20:49

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2/4 with triplets is 6/8!!

If you mean the 2nd downbeat (the 2nd beat in 2/4 or the 4th sub-beat in 6/8), then, yes, they will have the same weight �� not quite as much emphasis as the actual 1st downbeat in the bar.

Marching pieces are often written in 2/4 (L, R) but are also found in 6/8, where beats 1 and 4 are the L and R. So, basically the same. It may also depend upon what other sub-divisions you have in the bars. Were there many triplets needed, then it would make more sense to write it all out in 6/8; otherwise, if only a few, 2/4 would suffice.

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Yes, 2/4 with triplets is precisely equivalent to 6/8.

Not sure what you mean by 'second down beat'? There's only one down beat in a bar. But there's no reason to assume the second beat would be stronger in 2/4 than in 6/8.

There may be cultural connotations due to famous pieces being written in a certain time signature. Beethoven's 'Pastoral' symphony is notated in 6/8, his 'Moonlight' sonata is notated in triplets. But there are 6/8 military marches too! YOUR music won't be weakened by choosing the 'wrong' time signature.

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  • I guess there is more freedome with 2/4 because you can have both 2/4 and 6/8 when ever you want without changing the time signature
    – user98606
    Commented Jul 12 at 12:48
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    You have precisely the same freedom with 6/8, though maybe duplets in 6/8 are less commonly used than triplets in 2/4.
    – Laurence
    Commented Jul 12 at 17:36
  • I of Beethoven’s Sonata quasi una fantasia features triplets, but it is alla breve time. So no, this is not really equivalent to 6/8. If anything it would be 12/8, but that is also not really correct, as 12/8 would usually imply a division in 4, while this is a division in 2.
    – Lazy
    Commented Jul 12 at 20:45

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