About 12/8 time

12/8 is compound quadruple meter: twelve 8th notes in four groups of three. The primary beats fall on 1, 4, 7, and 10. It sounds like a 4/4 with a shuffle or 'swing' feel — each beat subdivides into triplets rather than straight pairs. This is the rhythmic basis of most blues, gospel, and soul music, and gives a warm, rocking character to any melody.