A standard (= 4/4) bar consists of four beats of the same length (counting: one – two – three – four). To start with, let`s have a look at the basics of note duration. Sultans of Swing, Down to the Waterline, Lions, Tunnel of Love, Single Handed Sailor, Private Dancer, I believe in you (Bob Dylan featuring Mark Knopfler) How do quarter note triplets work? Some nice examples which are mentioned later in this article are: Whenever you are in danger of running out of ideas or feel chained to a standard rhythm, even a very short lick of quarter note triplets will break up your normal rhythm and give a distinctive gleam to your solo.Įxamples of these licks can be found in a great number of Mark Knopfler / Dire Straits tunes, surely to many to name them all (it is probably easier to name those who do not feature them). With the help of licks based on these quarter note triplets you will increase your vocabulary on the guitar. However, they have nothing to do with a “free timing”, they follow a precise logic and have a certain length and rhythm. They do not “fit” into the normal grid of half, quarter, eighth or sixteenth notes they break out of the normal rhythm scheme, thus highlighting a melody or a phrase.
Such a note is shorter than a quarter note but longer than an eighth note. Quarter note triplets are notes of a certain duration, or in other words they produce a certain rhythimcal effect.