What are the types of compound meter?

Answer 1

Compound meter consists of pulses which divide into groups of three. Typically, each beat is shown as a dotted quarter note, which then divides into three eighth notes.

Compound meter can be found with two, three, or four pulses. In all cases, the top number of a time signature is a multiple of three, showing the number of groupings (ie. a "6" indicates 2 groups of 3, 2x3 = 6; a "9" indicates 3 groups of 3, 3x3 = 9; a "12" indicates 4 groups of 3, 4x3 = 12).

The lower number of the time signature indicates the type of notes in each grouping.

For example, 6/8 time consists of 2 groupings of 3 eighth notes in each bar.

6/4 would use 2 groupings of 3 quarter notes.

Answer 2

the 3 kinds of meter are:

4/4 Meter - Also known as common time, this means there are 4 beats in a measure. For example 4 quarter notes (= 4 beats) in a measure will have the count - 1 2 3 4. Another example is when there is a half note (= 2 beats), 2 eighth notes (= 1 beat) and 1 quarter note (=1 beat) in a measure. When you add the beats of all the notes you come up with 4, you thus count it as 12 3 and 4. In 4/4 meter the accent is on the first beat. Listen to amusic sample with a 4/4 meter. 3/4 Meter - Used mostly in classical and waltz music, this means there are three beats in a measure. For example 3 quarter notes (= 3 beats) will have the count - 1 2 3. Another example is a dotted half note which is also equivalent to three beats. In 3/4 meter the accent is on the first beat. Listen to a music sample with a 3/4 meter. 6/8 Meter - Mostly used in Classical Music, this means there are 6 beats in a measure. In this type of meter the eighth notes are commonly used. For example 6 eighth notes in a measure will have the count - 1 2 3 4 5 6. Here the accent is on the first and fourth beats. Listen to a music sample with a 6/8 meter.