Many Ballads and Blues songs are written in twelve eight time ( + ). This means there are twelve eighth note beats in each bar.
A bar of eighth notes in twelve eight time sounds the same as a bar of triplets (groups of three eighth notes) in four four time. Although there are twelve individual beats which can be counted, twelve eight time is usually still counted in four as demonstrated in the following example.
One of the main reasons for using the twelve eight time signature instead of * is that it becomes easier to count when the eighth notes are subdivided. Sixteenth notes can be counted as + (and), as demonstrated in the following example. These sixteenth notes may be played straight or swung.
Now try a lick using 16th notes in + time.