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October 4

Popularity of half notes in 6/8 time

In general, we don't see half notes in 6/8 time because the half note is not part of any un-syncopated rhythm. If it occupies the first 4 beats of the measure, it's written instead as a dotted quarter note tied to an eighth note. If it occupies the last 4 beats, it's written as an eighth note tied to a dotted quarter note. Failing to follow these rules can result in the measure becoming a 3/4 measure. But how about if it occupies the middle 4 beats?? That is, if it's between 2 eighth notes?? Is this position of a half note in 6/8 time valid?? Then it merely replaces 2 tied quarter notes, which is what half notes in general do. Georgia guy (talk) 18:02, 4 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]

As a rule of thumb, a note shouldn't cross rhythmic subdivisions that are more important than its endpoints. In 6/8 time the rhythm is normally ...1332331332331..., with 1/2/3 being primary/secondary/ternary divisions. A half note in the middle of a 6/8 measure would start and end on a ternary division but cross a secondary division, so it's probably a bad idea, unless the rhythm has temporarily changed to a weird misaligned half-time hemiola. -- BenRG (talk) 23:51, 4 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]

So would a quarter note in the middle of a 2/4 measure or a quarter note in the middle of either half of a 4/4 measure or a half note in the middle of a 4/4 measure. Georgia guy (talk) 23:54, 4 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Not everyone cares. Chopin in his Nocturne Op. 37 No. 2 is perfectly happy to write minims (half notes) on the first beat of a 6/8 bar. (Link to score.) The only rule is clarity. Double sharp (talk) 13:55, 9 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]