Classical Guitar Instruction with Douglas Niedt

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

Classical guitarist Douglas Niedt

"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.

Questions or comments?

Contact Me

Do you have a question?
Comment?
Suggestion for the website?

I would love to hear from you.

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


Satisfied subscriber Gretchen

"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 Quarter-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 QUARTER-NOTE TRIPLETS

  1. Assume we have two measures in 2/4 meter.
  2. Measure #1 contains two quarter notes.
  3. Measure #2 contains a quarter-note triplet.
  4. In measure #1, divide each quarter note into three parts and count “1-2-3” for the first quarter note and “4-5-6” for the second quarter note. So, a steady “1-2-3-4-5-6.”
  5. Finally, to play the quarter-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 quarter-note triplets!

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

If we have quarter notes like the following in 2/4 time, we typically count them as: 1-&-2-& |1-&-2-&|. If we set a metronome, it would tick on numbers 1 and 2 (the red x’s). Example #1:

Conventional counting of quarter notes

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

Subdivide each quarter note into three parts

Next, we will divide each quarter note into three equal notes which makes them 8th-note triplets. The metronome will tick on number 1 and number 4 (the red x’s). Example #3:

Subdivide each quarter note into three eighth-note triplets

Therefore, we assign a number to each note of the triplet: 1-2-3-4-5-6. Set a metronome to 60 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 8th-note triplets:

Practice the 8th note triplets with metronome and count

Next, we practice alternating between quarter notes and 8th-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 quarter notes and a measure of 8th-note triplets. Example #5:

Alternate between quarter notes and eighth-note triplets

Finally, if we delete or don’t play notes 2, 4, and 6 in the 8th-note triplet measures, we are left with quarter-note triplets! Example #6:

Delete notes 2 and 4 from the 8th note triplets


PRACTICE THIS FIVE-STEP EXERCISE

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

  • Play with a metronome at 60 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:

Five-step exercise to master quarter note triplets, part 1

Five-step exercise to master quarter note triplets, part 2


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 quarter-note triplets by practicing open-string exercises such as those above.
  3. When you return to the piece, extract the passage with the quarter 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.