5/8 Time Signature Explained

If 5/8 feels confusing at first, it’s usually because you’re trying to count five equal beats instead of hearing the bar as two groups. In practice, 5/8 is usually felt as 3+2 or 2+3.

In this post we’ll make those two groupings feel steady, learn counting methods that still work at tempo, and run a short practice plan you can do with a metronome.

How to count 5/8 time signature?

In 5/8, the beat unit is the eighth note. But in performance and practice, you rarely feel five identical pulses. You feel two larger pulses made of 3 and 2.

3+2 grouping

Think: ONE-two-three ONE-two

Accents usually land on:

• 1 (start of the bar)

• 4 (start of the “2” group)

• Count (syllables) — ONE-two-three ONE-two
• Count (numbers) — 1-2-3 1-2

2+3 grouping

Think: ONE-two ONE-two-three

Accents usually land on:

• 1 (start of the bar)

• 3 (start of the “3” group)

• Count (syllables) — ONE-two ONE-two-three
• Count (numbers) — 1-2 1-2-3

If you drift, simplify the task: keep the grouping and clap only the group starts until it feels stable again.

Why is 5/8 called an odd (asymmetric) meter?

You’ll see 5/8 described as an odd time signature, irregular meter, or asymmetric meter. They’re all pointing to the same practical idea: the bar is usually built by adding a group of 2 and a group of 3 (either 3+2 or 2+3), so the pulses aren’t all the same length.

Another way to say it is that 5/8 often contains one simple beat (2 eighths) and one compound beat (3 eighths). That short + long (or long + short) shape is exactly what you’re trying to hear and count.

Practice 5/8 with a metronome

Open the 5/8 metronome and choose an accent option for 3+2 or 2+3.

Exercise 1: clap only the group starts

Pick one grouping first and stay with it.

1. Set the metronome to 5/8.
2. Choose an accent option for 3+2 (or 2+3).
3. Clap only on the accented clicks (the group starts):
   • for 3+2, clap on 1 and 4
   • for 2+3, clap on 1 and 3
4. Do this for 60 seconds without drifting.

This is the fastest way to stop 5/8 from feeling like five unrelated clicks.

Exercise 2: clap the accents, speak one syllable per click

This is the same idea as Exercise 1, but you add the “small pulse” back in by speaking.

1. Keep the same metronome setting (same grouping, same tempo).
2. On every click, say one syllable of the count (don't speed up):
   • 3+2: say ONE / two / three / ONE / two
   • 2+3: say ONE / two / ONE / two / three
3. At the same time, clap only on the accented clicks (the group starts).

If that’s too much at first, do it in two passes: say the syllables without clapping for 20 seconds, then add the claps.

Exercise 3: practice the pattern from your song

If your piece stays in one grouping, your practice should match that.

1. Keep the metronome on your song’s grouping (3+2 or 2+3).
2. First pass: play or tap only on the accented clicks (group starts).
3. Second pass: add the remaining notes, but keep the group starts clearly felt.

Common mistakes

• Counting straight to five — Switch to grouping and feel the bar as 3+2 or 2+3.
• Losing the group starts — Strip it back and clap only on the accents for 30–60 seconds.
• Rushing the short group — Slow the tempo down and make the “2” group feel just as wide as it should.
• Not sure which grouping it is — Look at the beaming/accent pattern in notation, or listen for where the phrase leans.

FAQ

What is the difference between 5/4 and 5/8 time?

Both have five beats per bar, but the bottom number changes the beat unit:

• 5/4 — a quarter note is the beat unit
• 5/8 — an eighth note is the beat unit

With a metronome, that means the same BPM number produces clicks twice as often in 5/8 if you’re clicking the written beat unit.

Is 5/8 time simple or compound?

Most of the time, 5/8 isn’t treated as purely simple or purely compound. It’s commonly taught as an odd/irregular meter because the bar mixes a group of 2 (a simple beat) and a group of 3 (a compound beat), usually as 3+2 or 2+3.