6/8 Metronome
Practice compound duple meter as ONE-two-three | FOUR-five-six, with six-pulse or two-pulse playback, tap tempo, training, and silent-bar drills.
90 BPM means 90 dotted-quarter beats per minute; each beat contains three eighth notes.
Keyboard: Space start/stop · T tap · ↑/↓ ±1 · Shift+↑/↓ ±5 · M mute · R reset
Pulse & Accent
Count-In & Timer
Count-in plays before measure counting, trainer changes, and gap practice begin.
Tempo Trainer
Gap Practice
Keep the two large compound beats internally during silent bars, then check your timing when the clicks return.
Use this 6/8 metronome to practice compound duple meter with a clear ONE-two-three | FOUR-five-six pulse. Set your tempo, choose how you want BPM to be counted, and practice with six-pulse or two-pulse playback, accents, Tap Tempo, count-in, tempo training, and silent-bar exercises.
Unlike a basic metronome that simply produces identical clicks, this tool is designed specifically for 6/8 timing. It helps you hear both the six eighth-note positions and the two larger dotted-quarter beats that normally define the feel of 6/8 music. Music theory sources classify 6/8 as compound duple meter: six eighth notes grouped into two groups of three.
How to Use the 6/8 Metronome
Start by setting your desired tempo between the available BPM limits. You can enter a number directly, move the tempo slider, use the preset speeds, or tap a tempo manually.
Then choose how the BPM should be interpreted:
- Dotted-quarter pulse — recommended for the normal two-beat feel of 6/8.
- Eighth-note pulse — useful when you want to count or practice all six eighth-note positions individually.
Choose your playback mode, accent pattern, count-in, or practice features, then press Start.
For standard 6/8 practice, listen for:
ONE-two-three | FOUR-five-six
The two important pulse points are normally 1 and 4. This grouping is also used by dedicated 6/8 metronomes because it reflects the typical compound-meter feel.
If you are learning a song but do not know its tempo yet, use the Song BPM Finder before setting the metronome.
What Is 6/8 Time?
A 6/8 time signature contains six eighth-note positions in each measure, normally grouped as:
1 2 3 | 4 5 6
Rather than feeling six equally strong beats, 6/8 is usually heard as two main beats, with each beat divided into three eighth notes.
That gives the meter its compound-duple structure:
ONE-two-three | FOUR-five-six
MusicTheory.net describes time signatures with 6 on top, including 6/8, as compound duple meters. Tunable similarly explains 6/8 as six eighth notes grouped into two beats of three, with the dotted quarter serving as the primary pulse.
For a broader explanation of meter, read our guide to time signatures and the dedicated 6/8 time signature guide.
Why the Dotted Quarter Is Important in 6/8
One of the most important differences between 6/8 and simple meters such as 4/4 is the note value that often represents the main pulse.
Three eighth notes equal one dotted quarter note:
♪ + ♪ + ♪ = dotted quarter
Since a 6/8 bar contains two groups of three eighth notes, it contains two dotted-quarter pulses.
That is why a tempo marking such as:
dotted quarter = 72
means there are 72 large compound beats per minute—not 72 individual eighth notes. In that example, the equivalent eighth-note rate is 216 per minute.
Your 6/8 metronome lets you choose between dotted-quarter BPM and eighth-note BPM so you can practice either interpretation directly.
Dotted-Quarter BPM vs Eighth-Note BPM
These two settings describe the same music from different pulse perspectives.
For example, if the dotted-quarter tempo is 80 BPM:
80 × 3 = 240 eighth notes per minute
Each dotted-quarter beat contains three eighth-note subdivisions.
| Dotted-Quarter BPM | Equivalent Eighth-Note BPM |
|---|---|
| 50 | 150 |
| 60 | 180 |
| 70 | 210 |
| 80 | 240 |
| 90 | 270 |
| 100 | 300 |
This distinction matters when reading sheet music because the tempo marking should be interpreted according to the note symbol shown next to the BPM number.
If you need exact tempo-to-time conversions, use the BPM to Milliseconds Calculator.
Six-Pulse vs Two-Pulse Playback
This tool includes two useful ways to hear a 6/8 measure.
Six-Pulse Mode
Six-pulse playback sounds each eighth-note position:
1 2 3 4 5 6
This mode is useful when:
- You are new to 6/8
- You need to place notes precisely
- You are learning eighth-note subdivisions
- A difficult passage falls between the two main beats
- You want a stronger rhythmic reference
Two-Pulse Mode
Two-pulse playback emphasizes only the two main compound beats:
1 · · 4 · ·
This is closer to how fluent musicians often feel faster 6/8 music internally. Dedicated 6/8 resources similarly describe the meter as two dotted-quarter beats rather than six equally weighted pulses.
A useful practice progression is to start with six-pulse mode and move to two-pulse mode once the subdivision becomes comfortable.
How to Count 6/8 Correctly
Beginners often count:
1 2 3 4 5 6
That is useful for learning where all six eighth notes fall.
However, the deeper rhythmic structure is:
ONE-two-three | FOUR-five-six
You can also think:
1-and-a | 2-and-a
where each large beat contains three parts. Tunable specifically describes 6/8 using this two-beat grouping.
Practice both methods.
First count all six positions aloud. Then try feeling only the two main beats while keeping the three subdivisions internally.
That transition is one of the keys to making 6/8 sound musical rather than mechanical.
Use the Accent Controls to Hear the Meter
Accents make the structure of 6/8 easier to recognize.
A typical pattern gives the strongest emphasis to beat 1 and a secondary emphasis to beat 4:
ONE two three FOUR five six
The first group begins the measure, while beat 4 begins the second compound beat.
Specialized compound-meter metronomes often use a stronger downbeat plus a secondary group accent for this reason.
If your rhythm is already stable, you can reduce or remove accents and test whether you can maintain the grouping internally.
Use Tap Tempo to Match a Song
Tap Tempo is useful when you can hear the pulse of a recording but do not know the numerical BPM.
Tap repeatedly in time with the main beat. The tool averages your taps and estimates a BPM.
For 6/8, first decide what you are tapping.
If you tap:
ONE … FOUR …
you are tapping the dotted-quarter pulse.
If you tap all:
1 2 3 4 5 6
you are following the eighth-note pulse.
This distinction is important because the resulting BPM values can be very different even though they represent the same musical tempo.
For additional tempo detection options, try our Tempo Calculator or read What Is BPM?.
Use the Count-In Before You Start Playing
The built-in Count-In gives you one or more measures before the actual practice session begins.
This is especially useful for:
- Recording exercises
- Starting with both hands already in position
- Drum practice
- Ensemble rehearsal
- Sight-reading
- Fast passages
- Tempo trainer sessions
Instead of pressing Start and immediately chasing the first beat, you can hear the meter first and enter confidently on the next downbeat.
Build Speed With the Tempo Trainer
The Tempo Trainer automatically increases the BPM as you practice.
You can choose:
- How many BPM to add
- How many measures to wait before increasing
- Your target BPM
For example, you might start at 70 BPM, increase by 2 BPM every four measures, and stop increasing when you reach 100 BPM.
This creates a structured speed-building exercise without requiring you to stop after every repetition and manually adjust the tempo.
A good rule is to choose a starting BPM where the passage feels controlled. Speed increases are useful only while your rhythm and technique remain clean.
Use Gap Practice to Test Your Internal Pulse
Gap practice is one of the strongest rhythm-training features in this metronome.
You can tell the tool to play for several measures and then become silent for a chosen number of measures.
For example:
4 sounding measures → 1 silent measure
During the silent measure, keep feeling:
ONE-two-three | FOUR-five-six
When the click returns, check whether you are still aligned.
This exercise changes the metronome from something you simply follow into a tool for testing your internal time.
If you return exactly with the next click, your pulse is becoming more stable. If you consistently arrive early or late, reduce the tempo and repeat the exercise.
6/8 vs 3/4
6/8 and 3/4 both contain the equivalent of six eighth notes, but their metrical grouping is different.
3/4
Usually felt as three simple beats:
ONE-and TWO-and THREE-and
6/8
Usually felt as two compound beats:
ONE-two-three FOUR-five-six
So the difference is not simply the amount of written note duration in the measure. It is how that duration is organized and accented.
A current online metronome reference summarizes the distinction as 6/8 being compound duple—two beats per bar, with each dotted-quarter beat divided into three eighths.
For triple-meter practice, use the 3/4 Metronome.
6/8 vs 4/4
4/4 normally contains four quarter-note beats:
1 2 3 4
6/8 normally contains two dotted-quarter beats:
ONE-two-three | FOUR-five-six
This means that a 90 BPM setting does not necessarily describe the same musical pulse unless you also know which note value receives the beat.
For straightforward common-time practice, use the 4/4 Metronome.
Understanding this relationship is also useful when studying BPM vs tempo.
Guitar Practice in 6/8
Guitarists can use 6/8 for strumming, fingerpicking, chord changes, riffs, and arpeggios.
Start with two main strums per measure:
ONE-two-three | FOUR-five-six
Strum strongly on 1 and 4.
Then add all six subdivisions:
Down – down – down | Down – down – down
From there, experiment with accents or alternating picking while preserving the 3+3 grouping.
If a chord change happens at the start of each measure, make sure the new chord is ready exactly on beat 1 rather than slightly after the downbeat.
Piano Practice in 6/8
Pianists can use this metronome for scales, arpeggios, accompaniment patterns, and pieces with compound rhythm.
A simple exercise is to play one note on each eighth-note subdivision while emphasizing positions 1 and 4:
ONE two three FOUR five six
Then switch to two-pulse mode and try maintaining the same internal subdivisions with fewer external clicks.
This is useful because many 6/8 passages look busy on the page but become much easier once you feel them as two larger beats.
Drum Practice in 6/8
Drummers can use six-pulse mode to learn the full subdivision and two-pulse mode to develop a stronger compound groove.
Begin by playing continuous eighth notes:
1 2 3 4 5 6
Add stronger strokes on 1 and 4.
Once that feels stable, keep the internal subdivision but let the metronome click only the two large beats.
This trains your ability to maintain the three-note subdivision between reference points.
Practice Jigs, Ballads, and Compound Grooves
6/8 appears in many styles because its two-beat, triple-subdivision structure creates a distinctive rolling or lilting motion.
A dedicated 6/8 metronome resource highlights jigs and marches as common practice applications, while other music-theory references associate the meter with folk traditions, rock ballads, and triplet-based grooves.
The meter itself does not dictate one genre. What remains consistent is the underlying 3+3 subdivision.
Better 6/8 Metronome Practice
Begin with more rhythmic information than you ultimately need.
For example:
- Start in six-pulse mode.
- Use strong compound accents.
- Count every eighth note aloud.
- Play the passage slowly.
- Move to two-pulse playback.
- Reduce the accent information.
- Add silent measures with Gap Practice.
- Increase BPM gradually with the Tempo Trainer.
This progression moves from external support to internal control.
If you can continue feeling all six subdivisions while the metronome gives you only beats 1 and 4—or temporarily disappears completely—you are developing much stronger compound-meter timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 6/8 metronome?
A 6/8 metronome is a timing tool configured for six eighth-note positions per measure, normally grouped into two groups of three. The main pulse typically falls on positions 1 and 4.
How should I count 6/8?
You can count all six subdivisions as 1-2-3-4-5-6, emphasizing 1 and 4, or feel the two main compound beats as 1-and-a, 2-and-a.
Is 6/8 six beats or two beats?
There are six written eighth-note positions, but 6/8 is normally felt as two main compound beats, each containing three eighth notes.
What note gets the beat in 6/8?
The dotted quarter usually represents the main musical beat in normal compound-duple interpretation. Each dotted quarter contains three eighth notes.
What is the difference between 6/8 and 3/4?
3/4 usually has three simple beats divided into two parts each, while 6/8 usually has two compound beats divided into three parts each.
Why are beats 1 and 4 accented in 6/8?
Beat 1 begins the measure and beat 4 begins the second group of three. Emphasizing those positions makes the 3+3 structure easier to hear.
Should I set my metronome to dotted-quarter BPM or eighth-note BPM?
Follow the note value shown in the music’s tempo marking. If the marking uses a dotted quarter, use dotted-quarter BPM. Eighth-note BPM is useful when you intentionally want to count every subdivision.
Can I use Tap Tempo for 6/8?
Yes. Tap the two large compound beats if you want dotted-quarter BPM, or tap all six eighth-note positions if you want eighth-note BPM.
What is Gap Practice?
Gap Practice alternates sounding measures with silent measures so you must maintain the tempo internally until the metronome returns.
Can this metronome automatically increase the tempo?
Yes. The Tempo Trainer can raise the BPM automatically by a chosen amount after a specified number of measures until you reach your target tempo.