Tempo curiosity
Hi, gang!!!
I wonder if there is an universally accepted rule about the following:
Audibly, there is no a perceptible difference between to write (and play) a piece into:
a) 4/4, with triplets.
b) 12/8, thinking into 4 groups of quarter plus dot notes (to avoid the triplets).
Is there a rule about which is more "academic"? ???
Thanks a lot for your ideas!!!
Greetings & Blessings from Chile!!!!!!!
Juan
Comments
If there are many triplets then 12/8 is easier to write and to read. If you write in triplets and require to insert a lot of dotted notes and duplets then maybe changing to 4/4 would be better.
Quite a few piano pieces are written in 4/4 then have runs of many triplets but the composer or engraver hasn't bothered to write the triplets out as such or to change tempo but just assume that the pianist playing it can understand what's going on.
Chopin's Nocturne, Op. 72, No.1 could basically be written as 4/4 for the right hand and 12/8 for the left but any scores I've seen are in 4/4 for both with the triplets implied on the left.
I have played brass band pieces where one group of instruments are in 12/8 and the other (low brass) are in 4/4. It's conducted as 4 beats per bar so all are together in playing but the low instruments are typically playing longer notes here and it was easier to write in 4/4 for them and in 12/8 for the higher instruments playing the tripletty bits.
So, whatever is easiest for the players would seem the best advice.