A metronome for odd time signatures like 5/4, 7/8 and 11/8
Odd time signatures – meters such as 5/4, 7/8 or 11/8 – feel unusual because their beats do not split into equal halves. The trick is to think of them as short groups of twos and threes. grooph lets you set any meter from 1 to 17 beats over a quarter, eighth or sixteenth note and hear exactly the grouping you want.
Quick links
Counting in twos and threes
In eighth-note meters (5/8, 7/8, 9/8, …) the beats are usually grouped. A group of two is counted "1 2", a group of three "1 2 3". The first note of each group gets a little more weight. The same meter can be grouped in different ways, and the grouping changes the feel completely.
| Meter | Common groupings |
|---|---|
| 5/8 | 3+2, 2+3 |
| 7/8 | 2+2+3, 3+2+2, 2+3+2 |
| 9/8 | 3+3+3 (compound), 2+2+2+3 |
| 11/8 | 3+3+3+2, 2+2+3+2+2 |
grooph draws 5/8 as 3+2 and 7/8 as 2+3+2 by default. To practice another grouping, put accents on the first note of each group. The click for an accented note is higher, so you hear the grouping:
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5/4 in quarter notes
5/4 is counted in quarter notes, "1 2 3 4 5". Many players feel it as 3+2: a waltz bar followed by a short bar of two.
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How to practice odd meters
- Clap the groups first. Say "1 2, 1 2, 1 2 3" while clapping only on every "1".
- Use a slow tempo. In eighth-note meters set the metronome so that one click is one eighth note, then speed up.
- Write your own figures. Open the editor in grooph, change the time signature and fill the measure with the rhythm of your piece.
FAQ
What is the difference between 6/8 and 3/4?
Both have six eighth notes per measure. 3/4 is felt as three quarter notes (2+2+2), 6/8 as two dotted quarters (3+3).
Which meters does grooph support?
Any meter from 1 to 17 beats over a quarter, eighth or sixteenth note. The random rhythm generator currently writes exercises in quarter-note meters such as 3/4, 5/4 or 7/4.