Triplets

Triplets

Triplets sub-divide rhythmic pulses or sub-pulses into three equal parts where the expectation is two equal parts.
One beat, normally sub-divided into four equal parts (sixteenth-notes), is sub-divided into six.

**sixteenth-note triplets**
6:4 "one-e-trip-ple-let-ta"

One measure of 4/4 time has three parts per beat instead of the exected two eighth-notes.

**eighth-note triplets**
"one-trip-let two-trip-let three-trip-let four-trip-let"

Eighth-note triplets are the primary beat-pulse of shuffles and swing rhythms. The beat (one, two, three or four) and the let are accentuated to produce the feel.

Quarter-note triplets and half-note triplets span more than one beat-pulse. Sub-dividing them into smaller triplet units allows the triplet count to be used to accurately place these triplets within the measure.

**quarter-note triplets**
3:2 "one-_(trip)-let-_(two)-trip-_(let)"

The count for half-note triplets covers includes the full measure of eighth-note triplets. Accented counts would be the one, the trip of two, and the let of three.

**half-note triplets**
3:2 "ONE-_{(trip-let-two)}-TRIP-_{(let-three-trip)}-LET-_{(four-trip-let)}"