Duplets, Quadruplets, Quintolets, Sextolets and Septolets

Notes can be grouped in different ways. If we look at the picture below, underneath (c) there are two notes connected with a slur and a number 2. This is called a duplet. It is two notes in the time of three. In this example, the time signature is 6/4 which is six crotchets per bar, so the crotchets joined with the slur and the number 2 has the same time length as three crotchets. Under (a) and (d), the slur and the number 4 is called a quadruplet. It is four notes in the time of three or the same value as a dotted beat as in (b).


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Other examples are a quintolet, which is five notes in the time of four of the same kind of note. A sextolet, six notes in the time of four of the same note. A septolet, seven notes in the time of four of the same kind of note and a triplet, three notes in the time of two.

A duplet and quadruplet are only found in compound time.
A triplet, quintolet, sextolet and septolet are found in simple time.


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Baxter, Harry and Michael Baxter. The Right Way To Read Music. Tadworth: Right Way, 1993. Print, pp. 74 to 76.