Session 8: Compound Time

Overview

Phase: 2 — Harmonic Depth
Duration: 75 minutes
Prerequisites: Completed Sessions 1-7. Arpeggios for C, G, D, F, Am, Em (1 octave, HT). 7th chords. All 24 triads in inversions.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

Count and conduct in 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8 time signatures
Explain the difference between simple time and compound time
Play a complete arrangement of “Greensleeves” in 6/8 time with both hands
Play a complete arrangement of “Tere Bina” (from Guru) in compound time with both hands
Identify compound time vs simple time by ear in recordings

Materials Needed

Casio CT-X9000IN keyboard (Grand Piano tone for “Greensleeves”; we will change tones for “Tere Bina”)
Metronome set to dotted quarter = 40-50 BPM (we will set this up below)
Sustain pedal connected
This lesson plan open beside you

Warm-Up & Review (10 minutes)

Scale Rotation (4 minutes)

Play 4 scales, 2 octaves, HT, at 72 BPM:

Ab major
D major
A harmonic minor
G harmonic minor

Arpeggio Review (4 minutes)

Play each arpeggio 1 octave, HT, ascending and descending, at 60 BPM: C major — G major — Am — Em

Chopin Prelude Quick Play (2 minutes)

Play measures 1-4 of the Chopin “Prelude in E minor,” both hands, with pedal. Is the LH even?

Theory / Harmony (10 minutes)

Simple Time vs Compound Time

Every time signature you have played so far — 4/4, 3/4, 2/4 — is in simple time. In simple time, each beat divides naturally into two equal parts.

In 4/4 simple time:

4 beats per measure
Each beat divides into 2 eighth notes
Counting: 1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and

Compound time is different. In compound time, each beat divides naturally into three equal parts. This creates a lilting, rocking, waltz-like feel — like a boat gently swaying on water.

The Three Compound Time Signatures

Time Signature	Beats Per Measure	Division	Feel
6/8	2 main beats (each beat = dotted quarter)	Each beat divides into 3 eighth notes	Rocking, lilting — “GREENsleeves”
9/8	3 main beats	Each beat divides into 3 eighth notes	Flowing, waltz-like but with triple subdivision
12/8	4 main beats	Each beat divides into 3 eighth notes	Blues shuffle, slow rock ballad

How to Count in 6/8

6/8 has 6 eighth notes per measure, grouped in two sets of three:

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

The strong beats are 1 and 4. You tap your foot on 1 and 4 — that is the pulse. The three eighth notes within each beat create the lilting, triplet feel.

Clap exercise: Clap this pattern:

Strong clap on 1
Soft claps on 2, 3
Medium clap on 4
Soft claps on 5, 6

This is the feel of “Greensleeves,” “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean,” and many folk songs.

6/8 vs 3/4

6/8 and 3/4 both have 6 eighth notes per measure, but they feel completely different:

3/4: THREE beats per measure, each divided in TWO: 1-and 2-and 3-and (waltz feel) 6/8: TWO beats per measure, each divided in THREE: 1-2-3 4-5-6 (lilting feel)

Play the same 6 notes with both feels to hear the difference:

3/4 feel: C D E F G A (accent every 2 notes — waltz)
6/8 feel: C D E F G A (accent every 3 notes — lilting)

12/8 — The Blues and Bollywood Connection

12/8 has 4 main beats, each divided into 3. This is the time signature of:

Slow blues (the shuffle feel)
Many Bollywood songs (the lilting, swaying feel)
Slow rock ballads

Counting 12/8: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

You can also count it as: 1-trip-let 2-trip-let 3-trip-let 4-trip-let

This is the time signature we will use for “Tere Bina.”

Technique (15 minutes)

6/8 Rhythm Exercises

Exercise 1: RH 6/8 Pattern (3 minutes)

Play this pattern with your RH in C position. Each note is an eighth note. Set metronome to dotted quarter = 50 BPM (this means 2 clicks per measure in 6/8).

X:1 T:6/8 Rhythm Exercise M:6/8 L:1/8 K:C "1"C D E "4"F G A | "1"G F E "4"D C B, | "1"C3 z3 |]

RH: C(1) D(2) E(3) F(4) G(5) A(reach) | G(5) F(4) E(3) D(2) C(1) B(shift down) | C(1) — dotted half note

The pattern is: groups of 3 eighth notes, with a strong accent on the first note of each group.

Exercise 2: LH 6/8 Accompaniment Pattern (3 minutes)

The classic 6/8 LH pattern is a bass note followed by a two-note chord:

C major in 6/8:

Beat 1: C(5) — single bass note (low)

Beats 2-3: E(3) G(1) — chord (two notes together)

Beat 4: C(5) — bass note again

Beats 5-6: E(3) G(1) — chord

This “oom-pah-pah oom-pah-pah” pattern is the standard 6/8 accompaniment.

Play this pattern with LH for C major, G major, and Am. 4 times each.

Exercise 3: Both Hands 6/8 (4 minutes)

Play the LH 6/8 pattern (bass-chord-chord) while the RH plays a simple melody:

LH: C(5) — E(3)G(1) — E(3)G(1) | (repeating C major pattern)

RH: E(3) — rest — rest — G(5) — rest — rest | (melody on beats 1 and 4)

This coordination — independent rhythms in each hand — is the challenge of compound time.

Exercise 4: 12/8 Feel (5 minutes)

12/8 is like two bars of 6/8 combined. Play this LH pattern:

Am in 12/8:

A(5) — C(3)E(1) — C(3)E(1) — A(5) — C(3)E(1) — C(3)E(1) — A(5) — C(3)E(1) — C(3)E(1) — A(5) — C(3)E(1) — C(3)E(1)

That is 12 eighth notes: bass-chord-chord, bass-chord-chord, bass-chord-chord, bass-chord-chord. Four groups of 3 in one measure.

Play this pattern in Am, Dm, Em, and back to Am — the backbone of “Tere Bina.”

Repertoire / Genre (25 minutes)

Piece 1: “Greensleeves” — Full Arrangement (6/8)

“Greensleeves” is one of the most famous melodies in the Western tradition, traditionally attributed to the Elizabethan era. In 6/8 time, its lilting rhythm is the perfect introduction to compound time playing.

Tempo: dotted quarter = 46 BPM (moderate) | Time Signature: 6/8 | Key: A minor

Right Hand — Melody:

Left Hand — 6/8 Accompaniment Pattern:

The LH plays the classic 6/8 broken chord pattern (bass-chord-chord) for each measure:

Am: A(5) — C(3)E(1) — C(3)E(1) | bass note, then two-note chord twice

F: F(5) — A(3)C(1) — A(3)C(1)

E or E7: E(5) — G#(3)B(1) — G#(3)B(1)

Practice Strategy:

Clap the 6/8 rhythm first — clap the melody rhythm while counting “1-2-3-4-5-6”
RH melody alone — learn 4 measures at a time at slow tempo
LH 6/8 pattern alone — practice the bass-chord-chord pattern until automatic
Both hands, first 4 measures only — very slowly, 4 repetitions
Gradually add 4 more measures at a time

Piece 2: “Tere Bina” (from Guru) — Full Arrangement

“Tere Bina” (Without You) from the 2007 Bollywood film “Guru” is a hauntingly beautiful love ballad composed by A.R. Rahman. Its lilting, swaying rhythm naturally fits a compound time feel.

Tempo: dotted quarter = 42 BPM (slow, expressive) | Time Signature: 12/8 | Key: A minor

This arrangement captures the iconic melody and the characteristic swaying compound time feel of the song.

Right Hand — Melody (Main Theme):

Measure 1: E(3) E(3) E(3) D(2) E(3) F(4) | E(3) D(2) C(1) rest rest rest |

(12/8: four groups of 3 eighth notes. First group: E-E-E. Second group: D-E-F. Third group: E-D-C. Fourth group: rest)

Measure 2: A(1) rest rest A(1) B(2) C(3) | D(4) C(3) B(2) A(1) rest rest |

Measure 3: E(3) E(3) E(3) D(2) E(3) F(4) | E(3) D(2) C(1) rest rest rest |

Measure 4: A(1) rest rest C(2) D(3) E(4) | D(3) C(2) A(1) rest rest rest |

Measure 5: F(4) F(4) F(4) E(3) F(4) G(5) | F(4) E(3) D(2) rest rest rest |

Measure 6: E(3) D(2) C(1) D(2) E(3) rest | C(1) rest rest rest rest rest |

Let me also write the measure-by-measure note reference more concisely:

RH Note-by-Note:

Measure 1: E(3) E(3) E(3) — D(2) E(3) F(4) — E(3) D(2) C(1) — rest rest rest

Measure 2: A(1) rest rest — A(1) B(2) C(3) — D(4) C(3) B(2) — A(1) rest rest

Measure 3: E(3) E(3) E(3) — D(2) E(3) F(4) — E(3) D(2) C(1) — rest rest rest

Measure 4: A(1) rest rest — C(2) D(3) E(4) — D(3) C(2) A(1) — rest rest rest

Measure 5: F(4) F(4) F(4) — E(3) F(4) G(5) — F(4) E(3) D(2) — rest rest rest

Measure 6: E(3) D(2) C(1) — D(2) E(3) rest — C(1) rest rest — rest rest rest

Left Hand — Compound Time Accompaniment:

The LH plays a swaying pattern — bass note, then broken chord tones, creating the lilting Bollywood feel:

Measure 1 (Am): A(5) — C(3) E(1) — C(3) E(1) — A(5) — C(3) E(1) — C(3) E(1) — (12 eighth notes)

Measure 2 (Am-G): A(5) — C(3) E(1) — C(3) E(1) — G(5) — B(3) D(1) — B(3) D(1)

Measure 3 (Am): same as measure 1

Measure 4 (F-Am): F(5) — A(3) C(1) — A(3) C(1) — A(5) — C(3) E(1) — C(3) E(1)

Measure 5 (Dm-G): D(5) — F(3) A(1) — F(3) A(1) — G(5) — B(3) D(1) — B(3) D(1)

Measure 6 (Am): A(5) — C(3) E(1) — C(3) E(1) — A(5) rest rest rest rest rest

Both Hands Together — Practice Strategy:

Clap the 12/8 rhythm — count “1-2-3, 4-5-6, 7-8-9, 10-11-12” while clapping on 1, 4, 7, 10
Sing the melody — before playing, sing or hum the melody to internalize the rhythm
LH pattern alone, all 6 measures — this is the heartbeat of the song. Play until automatic at 42 BPM.
RH melody alone — learn 2 measures at a time
Both hands, measure 1 only — very slowly. The melody weaves over the accompaniment pattern. 4 repetitions.
Both hands, measures 1-2 — 3 repetitions
Add measures gradually until you can play all 6 measures
Target: full 6-measure theme at dotted quarter = 42 BPM with expression

Expression for “Tere Bina”:

Play with longing — this is a love song about missing someone. The melody should ache.
The LH should be soft — a gentle rocking motion, like a heartbeat.
Add subtle crescendo on the ascending phrases (measures 1-2) and diminuendo on the descending phrases.
Use the sustain pedal — change pedal at each chord change, not every measure.

Creative / Ear Training (10 minutes)

Compound Time vs Simple Time Identification

Exercise 1: Clap and Count (3 minutes)

Clap these two rhythms:

Simple time (4/4): clap-tap-clap-tap-clap-tap-clap-tap (groups of 2)
Compound time (6/8): clap-tap-tap-clap-tap-tap (groups of 3)

Feel the difference? Simple time has a march-like, square feel. Compound time has a rolling, swaying feel.

Now try switching between them without stopping: 4 beats in simple time, then 4 beats in compound time. Feel how your body wants to move differently.

Exercise 2: Sing the Rhythm (3 minutes)

Sing the “Greensleeves” melody rhythm without notes — just “da-da-da” — while tapping the 6/8 pulse. Can you feel the lilting quality?

Now sing “Tere Bina” in the same way. The 12/8 feel has a similar lilt but with 4 main beats per measure instead of 2.

Exercise 3: Identify Compound Time in Music You Know (4 minutes)

Think about songs you know. Can you identify which are in compound time?

Common compound time songs:

“Greensleeves” — 6/8
“We Are the Champions” (Queen) — 6/8
“Nothing Else Matters” (Metallica) — 6/8
“House of the Rising Sun” — 6/8
Many Bollywood love ballads — 12/8 feel

Songs in simple time for comparison:

“Twinkle Twinkle” — 4/4
“Ode to Joy” — 4/4
Most pop songs — 4/4

The key: if you can count “1-and-2-and-3-and” (groups of 2), it is simple time. If you naturally count “1-2-3, 4-5-6” (groups of 3), it is compound time.

Review & Homework (5 minutes)

Summary

Today you:

Learned the difference between simple time and compound time
Understood 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8 time signatures
Played “Greensleeves” in 6/8 — your first full compound time piece
Played “Tere Bina” in 12/8 — integrating Indian music with compound time theory
Trained your ear to identify compound time in music you hear

Self-Check Questions

What is the main difference between simple time and compound time?
How many main beats does 6/8 have? How many does 12/8 have?
What is the classic 6/8 LH accompaniment pattern? (bass--)
Why does “Tere Bina” suit compound time? What feeling does it create?

Practice Homework (Before Next Session)

6/8 LH pattern — 5 minutes daily. Practice the bass-chord-chord pattern in Am, F, E, G, Dm.
“Greensleeves” — 15 minutes daily. Learn 4 measures at a time. Both hands. Target: full piece at dotted quarter = 46 with pedal.
“Tere Bina” — 15 minutes daily. LH pattern first until automatic. Then add RH melody. Target: full 6 measures, both hands, at dotted quarter = 42.
Arpeggio and scale review — 10 minutes daily. Play 2 arpeggios and 3 scales to stay fresh.
Total: ~45-50 minutes daily

Common Mistakes to Watch For

Counting 6/8 as 3/4: Remember — 6/8 has TWO main beats (1 and 4), not three. Tap your foot on 1 and 4 only.
LH too heavy in “Tere Bina”: The LH swaying pattern should be felt, not heard prominently. Keep it soft — pp to p. The melody in the RH is the star.
Rushing compound time: The lilting feel of 6/8 and 12/8 can tempt you to rush. Use the metronome. Each eighth note gets exactly the same duration.

CT-X9000IN Tips

Indian Rhythm Patterns for “Tere Bina”

Your CT-X9000IN has 39 Indian rhythm patterns. For “Tere Bina,” try these:

Keherwa (8-beat taal): This is the most common taal for Bollywood love songs. The lilting, swaying pattern complements the 12/8 feel perfectly.
- Navigate to the Rhythm section
- Find the Indian rhythms (typically in rhythm bank 200+)
- Look for “Keherwa” or similar 8-beat patterns
- Set the tempo to match your playing speed
6/8 Rhythm Accompaniment for “Greensleeves”:
- Look in the Western rhythm patterns for “Waltz” or “6/8 March”
- A 6/8 pattern provides the lilting accompaniment automatically
- Play along with the rhythm to practice keeping time

How to use rhythm accompaniment as a practice tool:

Select the rhythm pattern
Set the tempo to your practice speed
Press START
Play your piece along with the rhythm. The rhythm acts as a sophisticated metronome that gives you the feel, not just the clicks.

Save your Bollywood setup to Registration 6:

Tone: Indian instrument (try Sitar or Santoor from the Indian tones)
Rhythm: Keherwa
Tempo: 85 BPM (or your playing speed)
This becomes your instant-access Bollywood practice setup