How to Count Half-Note Triplets: A Step-by-Step Guide

"Douglas who?"

Douglas Niedt is a successful concert and recording artist and highly respected master classical guitar teacher with 50 years of teaching experience. He is Associate Professor of Music (retired), at the Conservatory of Music and Dance, University of Missouri-Kansas City and a Fellow of the Henry W. Bloch School of Management—Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Doug studied with such diverse masters as Andrés Segovia, Pepe Romero, Christopher Parkening, Narciso Yepes, Oscar Ghiglia, and Jorge Morel. Therefore, Doug provides solutions for you from a variety of perspectives and schools of thought.

He gives accurate, reliable advice that has been tested in performance on the concert stage that will work for you at home.

Contact Me

PURCHASE AN ALL-ACCESS PASS
TO THE VAULT OF CLASSICAL GUITAR TECHNIQUE TIPS

"Hello Mr Niedt,
My name's Gretchen, and I'm so happy I purchased an All-Access Pass to the Vault. I love your awesome technique tips. I'm amazed how much I have improved my playing.
Thank you!"

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR PROVEN STRATEGIES
THAT WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER GUITARIST?

Check out the game-changing tips in my Vault—I promise they will kick your playing up to the next level.
Purchase an All-Access Pass to the Vault.
It's a one-time purchase of only $36!
You receive full access to:

1. Over 180 technique tips in The Vault.
2. Special arrangements of Christmas music
3. Arrangement of the beautiful Celtic song, Skellig
4. Comprehensive guide, How to Master the Classical Guitar Tremolo

All that for a one-time payment of only $36. Take me to the page to Purchase an All-Access Pass

How to Count Half-Note Triplets: A Step-by-Step Guide

By Douglas Niedt

Copyright Douglas Niedt. All Rights Reserved.
This article may be reprinted, but please be considerate and give credit to Douglas Niedt.

SUMMARY: HOW TO PLAY HALF-NOTE TRIPLETS

1. Assume we have two measures in 4/4 meter.
2. Measure #1 contains two half notes.
3. Measure #2 contains a half-note triplet.
4. In measure #1, divide each half note into three parts and count “1-2-3” for the first half note and “4-5-6” for the second half note. So, a steady “1-2-3-4-5-6.”
5. Finally, to play the half-note triplet in measure #2, continue counting 1-2-3-4-5-6 but pluck only on “1,” “3,” and “5.” The three notes you just played are even half-note triplets!

HERE IS THE PROCESS IN DETAIL TO LEARN TO PLAY HALF NOTE TRIPLETS

If we have half notes like the following in 4/4 time, we typically count them as:
| 1-&-2-&-3-&-4-& |
We will set a metronome at a slow speed of 40 bpm, so it ticks on numbers 1 and 3 (the red x’s). Example #1:

Next, instead of counting them in the usual way, |1-&-2-&-3-&-4-&| , we will divide each half note into three parts counting 1-2-3 for the first half note and 4-5-6 for the second half note. If we set a metronome, it will tick on numbers 1 and 4. Example #2:

Next, we will divide each half note into three equal notes which makes them quarter-note triplets. The metronome will tick on number 1 and number 4 (the red x’s). Example #3:

Therefore, we assign a number to each note of the two triplets: 1-2-3 and 4-5-6. Set a metronome to 40 bpm. The metronome will tick on number 1 and number 4 (the red x’s in the example). Tap your right foot with the metronome and COUNTING OUT LOUD, play the quarter-note triplets:

Next, we practice alternating between half notes and quarter-note triplets, always counting 1-2-3-4-5-6. Again, the metronome ticks on number 1 and number 4 (the red x’s in the example). Tap your right foot with the metronome and COUNTING OUT LOUD, alternate playing a measure of half notes and a measure of quarter-note triplets. Example #5:

Finally, if we delete or don’t play notes 2, 4, and 6 in the quarter-note triplet measures, we are left with half-note triplets! Example #6:

PRACTICE THIS FIVE-STEP EXERCISE

To better understand how to count half-note triplets, practice this five-step exercise. As you practice each step:

• Play with a metronome at 40 bpm
• Count out loud
• Tap your right foot with the metronome.

Later, when you are comfortable with all five steps, omit counting, then omit foot tapping, and finally, omit the metronome.

Example #7:

How Do I Incorporate This Method of Counting Into The Piece I Am Working On?

1. Practice away from the piece first.
2. Learn the basics of counting half-note triplets by practicing open-string exercises such as those above.
3. When you return to the piece, extract the passage with the half note triplets.
4. If it is a fast passage, work out the rhythm slowly at first using the counting principles above.
5. Gradually speed it up either by ear or with a metronome.

Download a PDF of this article.