12/8 Time Signature Metronome
Allegro
12/8: 12 beats per bar in groups of 3+3+3+3, counted 1 2 3 · 4 5 6 · 7 8 9 · 10 11 12.
12/8 has twelve eighth notes per bar in four groups of three: four big beats, each with a triplet inside.
How to count 12/8
Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 with accents on 1, 4, 7 and 10, or count the big beats with triplets: 1 trip-let 2 trip-let 3 trip-let 4 trip-let.
Where you hear 12/8
Slow blues like Red House by Jimi Hendrix, soul ballads like At Last by Etta James, gospel, doo-wop, and pop ballads such as Perfect by Ed Sheeran.
Questions
Is 12/8 the same as 4/4 with triplets?
They sound the same. 12/8 is simply written with eighth notes, while 4/4 with triplets is written with triplet marks.
What tempo is a slow blues?
Often 50 to 70 dotted quarters per minute, which is 150 to 210 BPM in 12/8 on this metronome.
Is 12/8 the same as shuffle?
Close. A shuffle plays only the first and third note of each triplet. Use 4/4 with the shuffle subdivision for that feel.