Triplet rhythm exercises for sight-reading
An eighth-note triplet squeezes three notes into one beat, where two eighths would normally fit. They are counted "1 trip let". Triplets are everywhere in blues, swing, shuffles and 12/8 grooves, and the figures with rests inside them are a classic reading challenge.
The levels
With the triplet subdivision, each level adds new triplet figures (x = note, – = rest). Quarter notes and quarter rests appear at every level.
| Level | New figures |
|---|---|
| 1 | x x x – the full triplet |
| 2 | x – x – "1 – let", the shuffle |
| 3 | – – x – only the "let" |
| 4 | x x – and – x x |
| 5 | – x – only the "trip" |
4
4
Practice links
▶ Level 5 – all triplet figures
To switch between straight notes and triplets – one of the hardest skills in rhythm reading – use the mixed subdivision, which combines sixteenths and triplets:
▶ Mixed sixteenths and triplets, level 3
Tips
- Feel the three, not the two. Before playing, count "1 trip let 2 trip let" out loud for a few bars.
- The shuffle (level 2) is the triplet with the middle note left out. It is the same feel as 66% swing.
- Read the guide to counting triplets for more.
FAQ
How do you count triplets?
"1 trip let, 2 trip let" – three even syllables per beat. Some teachers say "1 la li" or "tri-pl-et"; use whatever keeps the three notes even.
Are the triplet levels the same in mixed mode?
No. With the mixed subdivision the triplet order is reversed: the offbeat figure (– x –) appears from level 1, and the full triplet is added at level 5. The sixteenth figures keep their levels.