Is this in 3/4 time or 6/8 time?

Hey Guys,

This is my brand-new spooky Halloween music piece. From 00:19 (the main theme) is in 6/8 or 3/4. I cannot decide because I feel sometimes two beats and sometimes 3 beats. Thanks for your help!

It sounds quite nice!

13 minutes ago, Luis Hernández said:

It sounds quite nice!

 

Thanks, but I have a question. Could you please answer it if you can? I would truly appreciate it! 🙂 

13 hours ago, olivercomposer said:

From 00:19 (the main theme) is in 6/8 or 3/4. I cannot decide because I feel sometimes two beats and sometimes 3 beats.

I personally hear it as being in 6/4 throughout but I can see why you question if it might be in 6/8 sometimes, because your accompaniment figures and sometimes the stresses in the melody end up suggesting 6/8 instead (or 12/8).  There is no problem with having a piece that constantly changes meter or uses hemiola prominently.  With the concept of hemiola it becomes apparent that it's okay for the piece to even be in both meters at the same time.  If you were making a score you could simply group the 8th notes according to which group of instruments is using which meter and which way makes the most sense for counting and displaying the rhythmic information.  Some parts would be grouped in groups of three 8th notes and some other parts in groups of 2 and that would be totally fine.  But I think for the conductor the piece should be in 6/4 as that is most likely how they would direct it.

Btw - great, Halloween spooky music!  I love the creepy vibe!  It's just too bad that you didn't make it in time to be featured in the Halloween Event!  Great job and thanks for sharing!

3 hours ago, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

I personally hear it as being in 6/4 throughout but I can see why you question if it might be in 6/8 sometimes, because your accompaniment figures and sometimes the stresses in the melody end up suggesting 6/8 instead (or 12/8).  There is no problem with having a piece that constantly changes meter or uses hemiola prominently.  With the concept of hemiola it becomes apparent that it's okay for the piece to even be in both meters at the same time.  If you were making a score you could simply group the 8th notes according to which group of instruments is using which meter and which way makes the most sense for counting and displaying the rhythmic information.  Some parts would be grouped in groups of three 8th notes and some other parts in groups of 2 and that would be totally fine.  But I think for the conductor the piece should be in 6/4 as that is most likely how they would direct it.

Btw - great, Halloween spooky music!  I love the creepy vibe!  It's just too bad that you didn't make it in time to be featured in the Halloween Event!  Great job and thanks for sharing!

 

Thank you for your answer! Sometimes it's tricky to identify a time signature. I used 6/8 time signature in the project, because it was the most convenient to write the notes. I didn't think it could be 6/4... I composed this music piece for a video lesson on my channel. You know, a "how to compose Halloween music with spooky vibes" thing. I feel two beats each with three eighth notes, so I assumed it's in 6/8 time.

Edited October 22, 20241 yr by olivercomposer

I know I'm late to the party on this post, but I'd like to add to @PeterthePapercomPoser's comment. 

I agree the piece is overwhelmingly in 6/4, given the accents provided in the music that suggest the measure ends at 6 beats, with the quarter-note being the predominant duration (hence the 4 in 6/4). 

However, I'm also hearing parts of it that suggest there are 2 measures of 3/4, then 1 measure of 6/4, that repeat within it. (The percussion hits tell me this, as well as the chord's leading tones, in how they're guiding the ear along the melody. It's difficult to explain how my hear  ear travels with knowing where each barline is or should be at between the measures. I hope I was able to come across understandably enough lol)

Edited December 5, 20241 yr by UncleRed99