12/8 Metronome

20–400 BPM, any time signature, five accent levels, subdivisions, swing, count-in, speed and gap trainers.

12/8 has twelve beats in each bar, and each beat is an eighth note (that is what the lower number means). In practice it is felt as four beats, each split into three. You will hear it in slow blues, soul and doo-wop ballads, gospel and Afro-Cuban music. Many slow blues and shuffle songs written in 4/4 are really felt in 12/8.

The metronome above is set to 12/8 with the beats grouped 3+3+3+3: an accent on beat 1 and a medium accent at the start of each group. The tempo counts the dotted-quarter beat you feel (four per bar); every eighth note still clicks, with accents at the start of each group of three. Tap any beat to change its accent.

How to count 12/8

123

456

789

101112

Count every eighth note, stressing the first of each three: “1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12”. Many players say “1-la-li 2-la-li” instead.

Practising in 12/8 on guitar

Start slowly: set the tempo where you can count out loud and play at the same time.
Strum down on every group start first, then fill in the eighth notes between once the accents feel natural.
Add the drum machine for a groove in 12/8: it has grooves written in this meter.