Triple metre (or Am. triple meter, also known as triple time) is a musical

metre The metre (or meter in US spelling; symbol: m) is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). Since 2019, the metre has been defined as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of of ...

characterized by a ''primary'' division of 3 beats to the bar, usually indicated by 3 (

simple Simple or SIMPLE may refer to: *Simplicity, the state or quality of being simple Arts and entertainment * ''Simple'' (album), by Andy Yorke, 2008, and its title track * "Simple" (Florida Georgia Line song), 2018 * "Simple", a song by John ...

) or 9 ( compound) in the upper figure of the

time signature A time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, and measure signature) is an indication in music notation that specifies how many note values of a particular type fit into each measure ( bar). The time signature indicates th ...

, with , and being the most common examples. In these signatures, beats form groups of three, establishing a triple meter feel in the music or song. The upper figure being divisible by three does not of itself indicate triple metre; for example, a time signature of usually indicates compound

duple metre Duple metre (or Am. duple meter, also known as duple time) is a musical metre characterized by a ''primary'' division of 2 beats to the bar, usually indicated by 2 and multiples (simple) or 6 and multiples ( compound) in the upper figure of the ti ...

, and similarly usually indicates compound quadruple metre. Shown below are a simple and a compound triple drum pattern. \new Staff << \new voice \relative c' \new voice \relative c'' >> \new Staff << \new voice \relative c' \new voice \relative c'' >>

Stylistic differences

In popular music, the metre is most often quadruple,Schroedl, Scott (2001). ''Play Drums Today!'', p. 42. Hal Leonard. . but this does not mean that triple metre does not appear. In jazz, this and other more adventurous metres have become more common since

Dave Brubeck David Warren Brubeck (; December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Often regarded as a foremost exponent of cool jazz, Brubeck's work is characterized by unusual time signatures and superimposing contrasti ...

's album '' Time Out''. One noteworthy example of a jazz classic that employs triple metre is

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the Jazz#Post-war jazz, history of jazz and 20th-century musi ...

's version of " My Favorite Things". Triple time is common in formal dance styles, for example the

sarabande The sarabande (from ) is a dance in triple metre, or the music written for such a dance. History The Sarabande evolved from a Spanish dance with Arab influences, danced by a lively double line of couples with castanets. A dance called ''zara ...

, the

minuet A minuet (; also spelled menuet) is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually written in time. The English word was adapted from the Italian ''minuetto'' and the French ''menuet''. The term also describes the musical form tha ...

, the mazurka, the

waltz The waltz ( , meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom dance, ballroom and folk dance, in triple (3/4 time, time), performed primarily in closed position. Along with the ländler and allemande, the waltz was sometimes referred to by the ...

and others. Triple metre is rare in national anthems – the national anthems of

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

, the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

, and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

being notable exceptions.

Afro

Afro The afro is a hair style created by combing out natural growth of afro-textured hair, or specifically styled with chemical curling products by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair.Garland, Phyl"Is The Afro On Its Way Out?" '' Ebo ...

, a Cuban

folkloric Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as tales, myths, legends, proverbs, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also includes material ...

genre, is typically performed in triple metre using the batá drum.

3-Step

The term " three-step" to refer to music was initially coined in the mid-2010s by gqom record producers (Sbucardo and Citizen Boy) to describe as well as another name for the South African genre,

gqom Gqom () (igqomu (), gqom tech, sgubhu, 3-step or G.Q.O.M) is an African electronic dance music genre and subgenre of house music, that emerged in the early 2010s from Durban, South Africa, pioneered and innovated by Record producer, music produce ...

due to its beat structure associated with triple metre. As the genre gained mainstream popularity and evolved, incorporating a wide range of music production techniques and more styles, other gqom record producers (Emo Kid, DJ Lag, Ben Myster and Menzi) introduced, pioneered and developed a distinct variation of gqom music between the late 2010s and early 2020s known as " 3-step" (also referred to as 3 step, three-step, and other variants). The gqom subgenre is characterized by its gqom elements combined with triple metre and broken beat features. Producers frequently blend 3-step with other production styles and musical genres.

Yoruba music

In Yoruba music, triple metre amongst other rhythms, creates a distinctive, flowing quality through a recurring cycle of three beats per measure. The rhythmic structure is commonly found in traditional Yoruba drum music and plays a significant role in shaping dance movements and ceremonial performances. Additionally, triple metre is evident in oríkì chants, where it enriches lyrical expression. Triple metre, in Yoruba music plays a crucial role in cultural and ceremonial contexts.

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meter (Music) Time signatures

Stylistic differences

Afro

3-Step

Yoruba music

See also

Sources