6/8 Tuplet question

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John Ruggero
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Joined: 05 Oct 2015, 14:25
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Re: 6/8 Tuplet question

Post by John Ruggero »

I think that the problem arises because tuplets replace fewer real notes of the same note value: 3:2, 5:4, 7:4 9:8 halves, quarters, eighths etc.

but 2 is special because it is the numerical factor that defines the note values. For this reason, 2:1 can't follow the same value both in duple ( 2 :4 : 1 :4 ?!) and triple meter (2 :4d : 1 :4d ?!) since two quarters can't replace 1 quarter and two dotted quarters can't replace 1 dotted quarter. And 2:3 eighths breaks the fewer rule.

So a compromise must be found for duplets. Some "round" the dotted quarters to eighths and some to quarters.

My vote:

C when there are two beats/measure since 6/8 could be considered an alternate way of writing 2/4 with the tuplet numbers suppressed and dots added to the quarter and half notes.

B when there are six beats/measure since it is perhaps more fitting for 2 quarters to replace 1 dotted quarter.

E is correct for all cases, since tuplets are not involved.
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