Sextuplets: How to Play, Count, and Write with 16th Note Triplets

Sextuplets, or 16th note triplets, are notes played at a speed of 6 notes per beat. At those speeds, things can become difficult to keep track of for musicians without the aid of some counting techniques.

This video explains several ways to count and parse sextuplets, as well as examine some common variations and how they can be used to compose music.

Counting Techniques

For counting sextuplets with no "bounce" (even 1-2-1-2-1-2 groupings), you can try the Konnakol syllables: "Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Ka".

There's also a drum rudiment known as a paradiddle-diddle which uses the sticking pattern R-L-R-R-L-L and has the same feel.

Common Variations

There are many variations of accents and patterns beyond what's demonstrated in the video. For example:

• The "bid-a-lee-did-a-lee" grouping is sometimes referred to as a "double triplet"
• Even groupings of two are sometimes called the "True Sextolet"

The Lydian Sextuplet Fanfare

At 13:59 in the video, you can hear the "Lydian Sextuplet Fanfare" — a composition written to demonstrate these concepts in a musical context.

The piece moves through three Lydian modes, each a minor third apart: E Lydian → G Lydian → Bb Lydian. The bass movement follows a whole-half pattern from E up to C, with the final chord being an E with a high 4th ringing out.

Related Lessons

For more on rhythm and counting, check out my lesson on complex rhythms and groove.