The Difference Between 6/8 Time and 2/4 Time Triplets

I. Note Values

• 6/8: every beat is an eighth note; generally each note is one beat, i.e. one eighth note
• 2/4 triplets: every beat is a quarter note; three notes make one beat, and each note is 1/3 of a quarter note

II. Strong-Weak Pattern

• 6/8 f p p mf p p
• 2/4 triplets f f f p p p

III. Performance Groove

• 6/8 feels like two big beats, each big beat like a bar of 3/4, with a slight difference in emphasis between the two groups of big beats; usually found in folk songs
• 2/4 triplets: the strong and weak of the two beats are clear, swinging back and forth; usually found in Jazz and Blues

IV. How It Feels to the Listener

• 6/8: unhurried, like telling a story
• 2/4 triplets: dynamic and swinging