How do you play in eighths?

imaflautist06 · Post by **imaflautist06** » Mon Nov 25, 2002 8:37 pm

I am doing yet again another solo and it is
eighths(3/8) And it is extreemly hard. Can you please help me and quick?
Jenn[::)] [:

damjan · Post by **damjan** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 11:25 am

Dear Jenn, 3/8 is three beats per measure, where each
eight note gets one beat. What exactly do you have trouble with?

BandSlave · Post by **BandSlave** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 5:19 pm

I'd just like to add, if I may, that it might be
easier for your mind to think of them as triplets, that's what helps me when
I'm playing in 3/8. I hope I helped and didn't just re-iterate what the flute
teacher said, lol. Good luck on your solo!!

Penny · Post by **Penny** » Thu Jul 10, 2003 7:50 pm

How do you play eigths??? Half as long as
quarters??? Just a wild guess. In tune and in tempo? I could be wrong. Better
than I do?? Now that I am sure of! [:halo:] [:halo:] [:halo:]

HurleyGirliSurf2 · Post by **HurleyGirliSurf2** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 12:02 am

Hello! My name is Julie! I just recently
had my chair auditions at my school. I have been trying hard to get in Symphonic
Band, and I made it.. However I did not make the chair I wanted (1st or 2nd
chair) and not trying to sound conceited, but I know I am capable of getting 1st
of 2nd chair.. my problem is my nervousness.. I'm not as bad about it as I used
to be but it still needs improvement... I was wondering if you had any tips for
me for controling it. My even bigger problem is time signatures.. 3/8..
everything.. I'm the type of person that when I hear something I can play it
very well, but when I get asked questions about time signatures I get stumped...
Could you please send me a list of all the time signatures and what type of note
gets a beat. Thank you so much. This will help me so much! Thank you! Julie[:)]

91st_Army_Flutist · Post by **91st_Army_Flutist** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 3:19 pm

Just remember - the top number of the time signature is the number of beats per measure, the bottom number is what gets one beat. So in 3/8 time, there are 3 beats and the eighth note gets the beat. However, 3/8 may often be conducted in 1, so the dotted quarter would get the beat. Hopefully that doesn't confuse things.

6/8 is similar in that most of the time it is not conducted in 6 but in two and has a triplet feel. Another thing to "note" is that music is beamed in such a way so that it is divided in order to make sense. For example, in 6/8, the first and second "beats" (being a triplet-type of figure) is beamed together. So, say the first "beat" starts out with 2 sixteenth notes and 2 eighth notes, they would be beamed together as a triplet. The beams break for each beat. This method of thinking greatly simplifies time signatures like 9/8 and 12/8. These time signatures used to regularly give me nightmares! These meters are also referred to as compound meters.