• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

How to learn to play a quarter note triplet?

M

MicceO

Aug 12, 2004
67
0
#1
I've got a problem. For some reason, learning to play a quarter note triplet so that it is rhythmically correct seems to be extremely difficult to me :confused: (any other have similar problems?).

Especially difficult to maintain even foot tap.

So, any word of advice would be highly appreciated!
 
#2
Tough to tap your foot along triplets? it seems the problem is not mechanical but has to do with your level of comfort with music that uses triplets in general. I used to play the drums and had the same issue 11 years ago. I managed to overcome it by intensively listening and playing music with triplets, like traditionnal jazz, blues,...
Also start practicing with the metronome playing on beat 2 and 4. (like a drummer's snare drum or hihat), it will help you develop strong swing and feel!
good luck!
 
#5
It can be a bit tricky until you get the feel of it. I found the best way for me was to listen and imitate. See if you can have any use of this simple MIDI. It's all steady quarter notes in the beat, one bar count in, one bar arpeggiated quarter notes, then four bars of arpeggiated quarter triplets. You could always start with just listening and tapping your foot to the beat. Then tap your foot to the beat and sing along with the "melody". Then play it.

EDIT: Why can't I attach anything? Ah, seems like you have to do the MIDI yourself after all.
 
#10
Hey, here is a great page:

Link Removed

Look down the page for "Listen to the midi file - quarter notes followed by eighth note triplets followed by quarter note triplets."

Let me try to link it here:

Link Removed

Hey, that's pretty neat.

tim99.
 
#11
When you tap your foot on the quarter note and play quarter note triplets you're playing a 3:2 rhythm. Try this - tap your foot on the quarters with a metronome clicking at around 70 bpm. Now, somehow vocalize 1/8 note triplets, which should be pretty easy to do. Sing, click your tongue, count, whatever. Now, clap your hands on every other 1/8 note triplet. cassanova had it right with the tied 1/8 note triplet thing. The key is to feel the 1/8 note triplets while playing the 1/4 triplets. Once you got that, give 1/2 note triplets a shot. :)

-Scot
 
#13
MicceO said:
I've got a problem. For some reason, learning to play a quarter note triplet so that it is rhythmically correct seems to be extremely difficult to me :confused: (any other have similar problems?).

Especially difficult to maintain even foot tap.

So, any word of advice would be highly appreciated!
Click to expand...

You might also want to have a look at the:Invalid Link Removed

It's free, and you have a variety of programming options. Looks like this:

ABLB.jpg
 
#15
ssab67 said:
usa a metronome. Set it to a two beat feel. a Click on every 1 & 3. Play straight quarter notes(1234). Then play the triplets (1-trip-let 2-trip-let) then back to straight quarter notes(1234).

Do this enough and you will have no problem hearing and being able to play the triplets from a straight 4/4

Matt
Click to expand...

Sounds good, thanks! Will try it right away! :bassist:
 
#16
What helped me was to consider 1/4 note triplets as 1/8 note triplets with each note doubled, i.e., if the note were C, E, G, I'd first play it as CC, EE, GG in 1/8 note triplets (CCE, EGG). From this it was easy to see that the quarter note triplets fall on 1 and 3 of the first quarter note and on 2 of the second quarter note.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back