If I’m going to practice the 6/8 strumming pattern what would be the best BPM to use on Justin’s Time Trainer app?
1 Like
What ever BPM you can play comfortably with no mistakes. Then speed it up to push yourself.
2 Likes
Ok, thanks for the tip.
1 Like
“In 6:8 time, we should accent Beat 1 and Beat 4, though to a lesser extent than Beat 1!”
I’m finding that difficult to nail, I’m thinking lowering down the bpm to around 60. It’s suppose to be this hard?
On the video he accents beats 1 and 4 with the same amount of volume but on the text here on the website he says different, as I quoted above. On the previous lesson about the 6/8 he did the same (on the video he demonstrates one thing and on the text another thing).
Another thing is that he recommends practicing at 130bpm but then says to find the best bpm for ourselves.
1 Like
Personally, I would not worry about this point. If you can accent beats 1 and 4 with respect to the other beats, you are 95% there. Learn some songs in 6:8 and later on when you can play them in your sleep, you can revisit the relative accents on beats 1 and 4. That’s what I would do, anyway.
3 Likes
Thank you 
1 Like
If playing 6/8 to a metronome and checking bpm you must be aware that the metronome needs to be set to 6/8. Measuring bpm with 6/8 can lead to confusion.
In 6/8 there are two main pulses, on beats 1 and 4.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Each of these six beats is an eighth.
two eighths = a quarter
three eighths = a dotted quarter
A dot against a note / beat extends its duration by half again.
If the tempo is given as 94bpm, you need to know if this is the bpm for quarter notes.
That would mean a tempo of 188bpm if considering eighths.
Divide that by three to get the tempo for the dotted quarter (between 62 and 63 bpm).
Try the metronome at 62 or 63 (for two beats per bar).
I hope that helps.
Cheers 
| Richard_close2u | JustinGuitar Moderator, Guide & Approved Teacher
2 Likes
In Grade 1, Module 6, Justin says the second of the songs for the module is in 6:8 time. In the practice module I don’t see anywhere that the time signature of the songs are identified. Is there a place that is shown, or do I need to just hear the appropriate time signature (hard for this tone deaf guitar enthusiast)?
You might as well start learning how to do this, if you can’t already. Just listen to a song and try tapping (foot, finger, anything – but don’t use your guitar for this) along with it and also count. Start with 1-2-3-4 , 1-2-3-4 since most songs are in 4:4 time. Does the counting seem to fit? If the song is not in 4:4, it will feel off. Then try 6:8: count in 2 groups of 3: 1-2-3, 4-5-6. You don’t actually pause between the two groups, but it helps to group them like that.
Do this all the time, whenever you hear a song playing, and you will pick it up in no time. Good luck!
5 Likes
In the 6/8 strumming there’s 2 strong pulses instead of 1 (as in 4/4). How the variation bars (Justin taught about variations in module 5) works? Do we still have to accentuate beats 1 and 4? It’s hard to do that.
How about the dynamics? The accentuation still apply when playing louder and softer? Again I found it to be hard to do it while accentuating beats 1 and 4.
Then what about in 4/4 (stronger strum on beat 1) like mentioned?
Is there a “default” way on all this?
Thanks and good night 
By the way I got banned from the forums and Justin’s website at least twice (I was being a jerk on the forums I will admit) but now it seems that it’s everything fine (I have access to the Justin’s website to use the Practice Assistant and I can post here for a while now), I’m different now… so no hard feelings? 
No defaults, Renan, sounds like you understand the ideas. So now just about practice practice practice
1 Like
Hello David, how are you?
I’m afraid I didn’t understand what you mean.
Does the variation and dynamics breaks the sound signature strong pulses rule or not? It’s optional?
Thanks.
Generally, you should aim to maintain the accents on beats 1 and 4 when playing in 6:8 time. Even with variations and changing dynamics.
Once you can do that, then you are free to change things up, if you like, using your ear as a guide (and your inner groove, I guess).
(And yes, it’s hard. If it was easy, anybody could do it!)
2 Likes
I have a different approach to 6/8 timing, it’s easier to learn if you count it as
1 and and 2 and and 1 and and 2 and and etc, I used to have nightmares about getting it right but since I discovered this method I have come to terms with it.
Pine ap ple Pine ap ple Is another way to think of it,
1 Like
Beautiful, thank you. I guess I’ll have to slow things down (bpm) until I nailed it. It’s strange that Justin didn’t talked about this or write it down on the lesson’s page. He teaches variations on module 5 and dynamics on module 6 (the 6/8 module). It’s not a requirement at this point for sure, those things are things to keep in mind and having a go (if I’m getting the idea correctly).
But dynamics and variations in 4/4 are completely different, so that’s why I’m (was) having struggle.
Nightmares 
Well I count “normally”: 1 2 3 4 5 6. It’s pretty easy until you try to spice it up with variations and dynamics
I think I’ll go back a little bit and do all down strums for a bit and then move on to the first pattern which Justin teaches and so on.
The accents are noted on the tab which is shown on the video, so the info is there.
1 Like
I meant about my wondering.
Thanks again for all the help 