Hey music makers!
There's this gap between knowing something exists and actually using it.
I learned a Vietnamese waltz in 3/4 for my wedding first dance. Felt the emotional power of a different time signature firsthand. Then went right back to writing everything in 4/4 for years.
Why? I told myself other time signatures were too theoretical. Too advanced. Required some deeper understanding I didn't have yet.
That was nonsense.
Time signatures are rhythmic feels, not math problems. You learn them by counting along with songs, practicing to a metronome, then writing something yourself. That's it.
So when I finally tried 6/8, a time signature used constantly in the R&B I love, it took maybe a week to feel natural. And it added a new level of emotion and professionalism to my songwriting and music production.
I'd been avoiding a powerful tool for no real reason. The first song I wrote in 6/8 proved that.
I'll share it with you later in the newsletter.
📻 REAL SONGS. REAL PROGRESSIONS
💿 "Always and Forever" by Heatwave
Key: D Major
Progression: [ Dma7 - Bm7 - Gma7 - Dma7 - Em7 - Em7/A ]
Roman numerals: I - vi - IV - I- ii - ii/V
Time Signature: 6/8
Why it works: The 6/8 meter creates a lilting, swaying feel with two main beats, each divided into three eighth notes. This compound meter comes directly from African American church music and gives R&B ballads their signature emotional depth.
Notice how the progression alternates between the I-vi-IV movement and the I-ii-ii/V, establishing the key and creating forward motion.
The groove: In 6/8, you feel two main pulses per measure (counted as 1-2-3, 4-5-6), with each pulse subdivided into triplets. The chords land on beats 1 and 4, creating a relaxed but propulsive feel.
The same progression in 4/4 would lose that gentle sway.
🧠 TERM OF THE WEEK
Compound Meter 6/8
Simple time vs. compound time changes everything.
In simple time (like 4/4), each beat divides into two equal parts. In compound time (like 6/8), each beat divides into three.
Understanding 6/8:
Two main beats per measure
Each beat divides into three eighth notes
Counted as 1-2-3, 4-5-6 (with emphasis on 1 and 4)
Any group of three is accented so the first beat is stressed while the others are not. Here is a simple visual representation of the count and accent 👉🏾 (/ - -)
Why R&B ballads love compound meters:
Direct connection to the roots of African American church music
Creates emotional weight and a spiritual quality
The triplet feel adds a natural "sway" that simple time can't replicate
Works perfectly with the "amen cadence" (I-IV or IV-I) common in church music
Remember this: The counting helps at first. But that's not how it sticks.
You internalize it by feeling the pulse in songs you love, then reinforcing that feel through personal practice.
🎯 CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK
Internalize the 6/8 feel through the method that worked for me:
Step 1: Count along with the song
Listen to "Always and Forever" and count: 1-2-3, 4-5-6, 1-2-3, 4-5-6
Notice how beats 1 and 4 feel like the main pulses
Do this for at least 2-3 full listens until it feels natural
Step 2: Practice to a metronome
Set your metronome to 6/8
Play the Dma7 - Bm7 - Gmaj7 progression along with the click (two measures each for the first two chords)
Start slow and focus on feeling those two main beats per measure
Gradually increase tempo as you get comfortable
Step 3: Write something in 6/8
Create a simple 4-bar progression in 6/8 (use chords you already know)
It doesn't have to be complex. Just get comfortable creating in this feel
Record it (voice memo is fine) to hear how it compares to your 4/4 writing
Step 4: Build your pattern library
Add "Always and Forever" plus 2-3 more R&B songs in 6/8 to your studying playlist
Listen actively to each, focusing on how the meter creates emotional impact
Document your discovery: How does writing in 6/8 change your creative process? Does it unlock different melodic or harmonic ideas?
Get the Harmony OS Dashboard and turn scattered practice notes into a system that actually sticks
I avoided time signatures for years because I thought they required theoretical mastery. Turns out, they're just rhythmic feels you internalize through a simple process: count along with songs, practice to a metronome, create something yourself.
6/8 is all over classic R&B. Once you get comfortable with it, you unlock a whole emotional palette that 4/4 can't access.
