Originally posted by noticingthemistake

In compound time signatures the top number doesn't tell you how many beats like a simple time signature does. In a simple time signature like 4/4, we know there's four beats to a measure. In a compound time signature like 9/8, the top numbers tells you how many divided beats. So the top number is always divisable by 3. 3/8, 6/4, 9/8, 12/16. 3/8 has 1 beat, 6/4 has two, and well you can figure out the rest.

**6/4 is not a compound time signature, I believe you mean 6/8. The same with 12/16, I belive you mean 12/8.

As for the triplet, they are not triplets. If your thinking the polyrhythm 3:2. A compound T.S. is not 2 beats divided in 3 per say.

**In a compound meter of 8 the pulse is on the dotted 1/4, which is subdivided into a triplet. I don't understand where you come up with that polyrhythm analogy.