Compound Time Beat Values

In compound time, each beat is usually either a dotted minim, a dotted crotchet or a dotted quaver.

In the example below, each beat is worth a dotted crotchet. 12/8 has four beats in each bar.

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In the next example, each beat is also worth a dotted crotchet but there are three beats per bar.

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The final example is in 6/8, each beat is worth a dotted crotchet and there are two beats per bar.

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Warburton, Annie O. Basic Music Knowledge. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Print, p. 18.