2. Alternating Triplets & 8th Notes
What Will You Learn in This Lesson?
This lesson is about 8th note triplets. An 8th-note triplet divides one beat into three evenly spaced notes, counted as “1-trip-let.”
How We’ll Practice This
Ex. 1 – First, we’ll master 8th-note triplets on their own using the D minor blues scale.
Notice how the rhythm lines up:
– the first triplet lands with the bass note,
– the second with the metronome click,
– the third again with the left hand,
– and the fourth with the metronome click.
When practicing on your own, check that all four triplets (12 notes total) are perfectly even in length.
Ex. 2 – In this one, you’ll learn to move back and forth between 8th notes and triplets.
Counting tip:
Instead of saying one and two-trip-let three and four-trip-let,
try dee-ba trip-o-let.
Even if the first beat is a rest, keep the pulse by quietly whispering “dee,”
and come in strongly on “ba” at the end of beat one.
(Note: This is one of the most used rhythmic variations in blues and jazz. We’ll return to this pattern many times, so think of it as your warm-up for what’s ahead.)
Ex. 3 – We keep the same rhythm from Ex. 2, but now across several octaves.
Try to memorize this line, becuase each bar works as a short lick you can later use in improvisation.
Ex. 4 – In this exercise, you’ll alternate full bars of swinging 8th notes and triplets.
Remember: 8th notes are swung, but triplets are even.
That shift from bar to bar is what makes this exercise tricky, and so valuable to practice.
When Are You Done With This Lesson?
If you can play along with the full video from beginning to end without mistakes, you’re done.
Move on to the next lesson.
FAQ – Swinging Eighth Notes
Q: What are swinging eighth notes?
A: Swinging eighths are basically triplets with the middle note removed.
Q: How do I know if I should play eighth notes swung or straight?
A: Look for a marking at the top of the sheet music. It usually says “Swing” or shows this sign:
This tells you that every pair of eighth notes should be played with a long–short triplet feel, instead of evenly.
Q: You said that swinging eighths are basically triplets with the middle note removed. But in the swing sign, I don’t see a missing middle note. Instead, there’s a quarter note and an eighth note inside a triplet. What does that mean?
A: The quarter note takes up the first two parts of a triplet (the long note), and the eighth note takes the last part (the short note). So together, they form the “long-short” swing feel.
