Ableton Forum

I can't figure out how ableton deals with 6/8 tempos.
I am working with a song that should be 80 to the dotted quarter.

I can't figure out what ableton is using as a beat reference.
80 sounds way too slow...so I assumed that it was beating the eighths and not the dotted quarter...so I changed the tempo to 240 and it sounds insanely fast.

Can anyone explain how ableton deals with 6/8? Anyone help would be so appreciated. Thanks!

its set in 8th to a beat like 6/8 should be so its broken up like this, i just tried it.
6/8 means theres 6 notes in a measure and 8 or 8th note gets the beat.

so for example:



1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6

or

8th | 8th | 8th | 8th | 8th | 8th | 8th | 8th | 8th | 8th | 8th | 8th |

let me know if this makes sense or answers your question.

noratacka wrote:I can't figure out how ableton deals with 6/8 tempos.
I am working with a song that should be 80 to the dotted quarter.

I can't figure out what ableton is using as a beat reference.
80 sounds way too slow...so I assumed that it was beating the eighths and not the dotted quarter...so I changed the tempo to 240 and it sounds insanely fast.

Can anyone explain how ableton deals with 6/8? Anyone help would be so appreciated. Thanks!

you did your math way wrong.

1 dotted quarter = 3 eighth notes
6 eighth notes = 1 bar of 6/8
so
2 dotted quarter notes = 1 bar of 6/8
2 x 80 bpm = 160 bpm

snowtires wrote:

noratacka wrote:I can't figure out how ableton deals with 6/8 tempos.
I am working with a song that should be 80 to the dotted quarter.

I can't figure out what ableton is using as a beat reference.
80 sounds way too slow...so I assumed that it was beating the eighths and not the dotted quarter...so I changed the tempo to 240 and it sounds insanely fast.

Can anyone explain how ableton deals with 6/8? Anyone help would be so appreciated. Thanks!

you did your math way wrong.

1 dotted quarter = 3 eighth notes
6 eighth notes = 1 bar of 6/8
so
2 dotted quarter notes = 1 bar of 6/8
2 x 80 bpm = 160 bpm

Hi ST,

You can't just multiply by 2 with compound time. If you want to set a standard metronome to beat the eighth notes instead of the dotted quarter in 6/8 you must multiply by three...

That's why I said for a dotted quarter of 80...you would set your metronome to 240 (80*3) to beat the 6 eighth notes within a measure.

If you try this with a metronome you'd see what I mean.

Thanks

Sorry, I'm with snowtires on this one

why would a metronome EVER beat a dotted quarter note? there is no x/3 signature (?)

longjohns wrote:Sorry, I'm with snowtires on this one

Hey longjohns,

I'm not trying to make a big deal out of the 6/8 thing...but multiplying by 2 will not give you the correct tempo in 6/8.

try playing dotted quarters to 80 (3 notes to a beat) and then switch to 160...you will not be playing the same tempo in eighths (1 eighth note to each beat). Try it for yourself.

Set your metronome to 240 and play one eighth note per beat and you'll be playing the same as 80 to the dotted quarter...

the OP seems to wanna have a feeling of "in 2" for the 6/8 time....so, giving the dotted quarter the beat makes sense...however, I don't think live resonds to the dotted quarter....but rather the note that is getting the beat (1/2,1/4,1/8, etc)...so, seems to me you'd have to multiply by 2 to get the right speed of the 1/8 note....and just play your part with a feeling "in 2"....