Triplets: how do they fit?

[theagx]

Hi,
I'm now up to Triplets, and to be honest, this doesn't seem to make sense. Firstly, how can two half notes be made into three and still have the same duration and still finish at the same time?

Put it this way: if I park two cars front to back, then park one more front to back with the last one:

1: the line of cars occupies more space/length.
2: or the line occupies the same space as two cars provided all three cars shrink.

Also, if three half notes are made into a triplet, after shortening their duration (which doesn't happen apparently!!) to fit THREE HALF NOTES in a ONE WHOLE bar (like fitting three halves in a circle, wtf), are these notes slightly offbeat now?

| [] [] [] [] | [] [] [] [] | [] [] [] [] | [] [] [] [] | = 16[]'s
| quarter.....|
| ...........half..............|
|..........................whole.................. ...........|
etc

Cutting the measure/bar into 16th notes, how does a half/quarter/16th note triplet fit onto each 16th note?

What are the uses for triplets? For easier notation or for an offbeat waltzy rhythm?

THX

[Bizarro]

The notes are actually shorter in duration, actual time. Whole, half, and quarter notes make people think of equal durations, and 8th note triplets is admittingly confusing and doesn't make sense at first. The terminology takes some getting used to, so don't get discouraged.

8th note triplets are often counted:
one-trip-let,two-trip-let,three-trip-let,four-trip-let

this site has some neat examples: http://www.billrotelladrumbeatings.com/triplet.htm

Triplets sound cool in many situations. It's just different. Not better or worse, but different. I wish I had a sound sample but I'm not at my music PC...

[theagx]

The notes are actually shorter in duration, actual time. Whole, half, and quarter notes make people think of equal durations, and 8th note triplets is admittingly confusing and doesn't make sense at first. The terminology takes some getting used to, so don't get discouraged.

8th note triplets are often counted:
one-trip-let,two-trip-let,three-trip-let,four-trip-let

this site has some neat examples: http://www.billrotelladrumbeatings.com/triplet.htm

Triplets sound cool in many situations. It's just different. Not better or worse, but different. I wish I had a sound sample but I'm not at my music PC...

Thanks! I'm on the site now!