Compound metre

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In music, compound metre or compound time is a time signature or metre in which each beat (or rather, portion, 1/2 or 1/3 of a measure) is divided into three parts, as opposed to two which is simple metre. The beat is therefore a dotted note.

For example, 6/8 is divided into two parts, making it duple metre, of three quavers (eighth notes) each, making it compound metre (compound duple metre), having 2 beats of the length of a dotted quarter/crotchet.

Compound meter can be transcribed in simple using triplets. Likewise, simple meter can be shown in compound through duplets.

Compound time is associated with "lilting" and dance-like qualities. Folk dances often use compound time. Many of the stereotypical Baroque dances are often in compound time: some gigues, the courante, sometimes the passepied and the siciliana.

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