Expert: Juanita M. Harris - 3/20/2006

Question
Can you explain to me the difference between 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures and when one or the other is used and why ?

Answer
Hi Anthony,

Are you familiar with what time signatures indicate?  The top number is number of beats, the bottom the note which gets the beat.  So, in 3/4, you have 3 quarter notes, in 6/8, you have 6 eighth notes.  In feel, they're just a little different.  3/4 is commonly used in waltzes, classical minuets and the like.  The thing about 6/8, is that it's not always in 6.  Typically, it's in 2.  ONE-2-3, TWO-2-3. So, when in 6, you'd never feel 2 distinct measures of 3.  You'd use it in a situation where the first half of the measure is stressed, and the second, unstressed:  ONE-2-3, two-2-3. Greensleeves, the christmas song (for lack of a better tune) is in 6/8.  The Blue Danube Waltz is in 3/4.  If you were to listen to them both, you could most likely hear that in 3/4, a waltz hits the first bar of each measure heavily:  ONE-2-3, ONE-2-3, ONE-2-3, etc.  

Well, I hope this helps in one way or another.  Feel free to write again if you need help.

Juanita