Rhythm Math

Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course
Lesson 02Rhythm Math And Piano/ Keyboard Flash
Copyright 2009 Music Learning Workshop, www.MusicLearningWorkshop.com
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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course
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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02 Lesson 02 Rhythm Math Getting Note Locations Down Cold
Preview Lesson 2 - Rhythm Math and Final Piano Notes

Lesson Subject Workshop Description The rhythm lesson covers note values, time signatures and counting. When you finish with this section you want to relax and simply review the pages. Don't go fast or move ahead until you feel comfortable with each of these concepts. Subdividing beats is critical to your success as a musician. We cover the concepts here and practice in the next lesson. 2 Keyboard Notes Step 3 and 4 In continuation of keyboard and piano notes you will prepare Note Flash Cards and begin step 4 of learning notes. In Step 4 you should work on the flash cards until it is effortless to know the key names and locations. This may be too easy for some, but this practice session is used to get you using the flash card concept. It will ultimately be very important in learning the master staff.
Rhythm Math
Rhythm
Notes
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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02
Part 1
Rhythm: Definitions, Symbols & Music Math
Covers the basics of how rhythm is defined and shown in music. Music Math is applied to rhythm to provide the basis for how notes are used.
Part 2
Rhythm Foundations 4/4 Time
You will start a basic practice routine to work with rhythm. This will be the beginning of ensuring you work rhythm on a continual basis. We will work with rhythm variations for quarter and eighth notes. These patterns are intended to help the student master the basic rhythms and push advancement of base rhythm. As you learn the more difficult rhythms they will become easier and faster to master.
Part 3
Getting Piano Notes Down Cold
Building flash cards is a physical aspect that is part of the learning process. We like you to make your own to reinforce this critical part of learning. Although it's not difficult at this point it is an important concept to experience early in your process.
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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02 Lesson 02 - Part 1 - Rhythm Math
Table of Contents
Introduction: ................................................................................................ 6 Take your time ............................................................................................. 6 Definitions: .................................................................................................. 7 Rhythm: ...................................................................................................... 7 Beat and Tempo: .......................................................................................... 7 Staff/Track ................................................................................................... 8 Measure (bar): ............................................................................................. 8 Notes and rests: ........................................................................................... 9 Time signature: .......................................................................................... 10 Symbols: .................................................................................................... 11 The Note: .................................................................................................. 11 Rests: ....................................................................................................... 12 Beams:...................................................................................................... 13 Different note heads .................................................................................... 13 Ties: ......................................................................................................... 14 Rhythm Practice: Notes and Rests................................................................ 15 Answers to the notes and rests practice. ........................................................ 16 Music Theory and Music Math: .................................................................... 17 Note Duration and Time Relationships ........................................................... 17 Time Signatures and the Note Relationship .................................................... 18 Speed of Playing- Tempo ............................................................................. 19 # Time Signature - Three Quarter Time: ......................................................... 19 P Time Signature: (Six Eight Time) ................................................................ 20 Counting and the Time Signature:................................................................. 20 Rhythm Adding rests ................................................................................... 23 Rhythm - Subdividing Beats by Two .............................................................. 23 Rhythm - Subdividing Beats By Four ............................................................. 26 Rhythm - Subdividing Beats By Four ............................................................. 27 Rhythm - Subdividing Beats by Three (Triplets) .............................................. 28 Rhythm More Practice Subdividing Beats by Three (Triplets) .......................... 29 Getting Relationships Solid ........................................................................... 30 Summary Chart of Beats and Time Signature ................................................. 31
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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02 Introduction:

Your journey to learn and master rhythm begins in this section of the Music Learning Workshop. Rhythm workshop provides us with the basics of rhythm that you need to Get It Down Cold. We start with the essential building blocks of rhythm and then expand our knowledge and knowhow until we achieve mastery.
The Basic Building Blocks of Rhythm

Ask professional musicians: what one element of music do you find to be most important? The answer will often be rhythm, as it is the one thing that is least forgiven by the listener. Rhythm forms the basis of music theory. It is what all other musical elements are based upon. You can only survive so long in your musical journey without the essential building block of rhythm. We start out with a "Big Picture" overview of the material, and then zero in on the elements that make it work. When we teach notes, names, or values we do it all at once - because it is important to understand how they are related right at the start. This allows you to jump start and accelerate your learning process. Whats really neat is that if you get hung up, you can go back and see exactly what that single thing is and how it relates to other items in context.
Take your time

There is no hurry - it is far more important that you understand the concepts than to rush through them to get to the next one. Since each step builds on the one before it, the better you understand each step the easier the next one will be. Lets start with some terms we will need to become familiar with when discussing rhythm and music theory:
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Rhythm: Definitions, Symbols & Music Math:
To get started on our rhythm journey, we have to define several of the elements. Dont be intimidated by these defi nitions - they will become clearer as we proceed through the lessons. Rhythm can be defined as the patterned, recurring alternations of contrasting elements of sound or speech. (Ok, thats pretty heady and too academic!) Lets try: A repeated set of things that can differ in length of time and type. Still doesnt really get at what we want. In the Music Learning Workshop we will use the following definitions.
Rhythm:
The pattern of musical movement through time. A specific kind of pattern, formed by a series of notes differing in duration and stress.
Beat and Tempo:

Beat is the duration we assign to rhythm. It is the measurement of our musical time unit and the amount of time our pulse will take. This can be a fraction of a second, a second, a few seconds, or several seconds. Putting several beats together gives us a steady series of units which make up rhythm. See this example of a 4 beat rhythm.
\ qqqq \ h qq \
The beat is also assigned a speed such as quarter note = 60, known as tempo, which will mean 60 beats per minute or 1 beat per second. Tempo can also be expressed as very slow, slow, fast, and very fast which leaves the speed of play up to the artist.
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Staff/Track
A track is a series of lines which show musical notes. It is made up of 5 lines and four spaces. Two or more tracks make a staff. Here is what a track looks like: (The little boxes are rests which we talk about later.)
Here is what the master staff looks like:
We go into greater detail about the staff and symbols in the workbook Mastering the Master Staff and in that section of our website.
Measure (bar):
A measure is the amount of time allocated to the rhythm before we start the counting pattern over again. Here we show a staff with bar lines. Up above under the beat definition our bar lines are the vertical lines.
Bar line
Bar line
One measure
Staff Track
One Measure from bar line to bar line
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So - one measure is the time allotted to apply a time frame in music and for the rhythm. However, the pattern may change from measure to measure. Thus we can have a major pattern or rhythm form over several measures of the counting measure. (We explore this concept in the more advanced rhythm workshop.) Check out this definition we found for measure: Measure is an American term, equivalent to the English bar, for the metrical units marked off along the staff by vertical lines (bars or barlines). A vertical line (often called bar-line) drawn through the staff to mark off metrical units. In American usage, the term measure is usually preferred to bar.
Notes and rests:

The note is the symbol used to tell us how long we hold our played pitch or tap a beat in the rhythmic pattern as well as what it should sound like. The note names will be familiar to us just as money has become. We can think that a whole note is like a one dollar bill and a quarter note is like a quarter. Rests are the opposite of notes they show us where we have silence or do not play, but occupy a similar time frame. Here are two examples:
w q
This is the whole note
This is the quarter note
W Q
This is the whole rest
This is the quarter rest
We have many others that we will explore in the symbols section.
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Time signature:
Rhythm is expressed, stated, and describe with a time signature. It is stated in beats per measure and how the beat is counted. Example: The time signature
is 4 beats per measure counted by quarter notes.
The top number represents the beast to count, and the bottom is the beat value. (Dont worry, we will show you exactly how this all works in more detail in music math!) Next, we move to the symbols of music. We will explore in detail what all these definitions mean, and how they relate to each other.
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Symbols:
Let's start with some basic symbols to be able to work with rhythm. (We will go further into examining relationships in Music Math Theory - but for now, we will just concentrate on showing you the symbols). If you are familiar with notes, rests, beams, and ties you can skip to the next section - but make sure to review the symbols, so you know what they are.
The Note:
h q
In music, we choose the note as one of the ways to show how our music will be played. So lets look at defining notes for the music theo ry. The note will represent when an instrument will be played... whether it is a drum, keyboard, brass, guitar, our legs, a table top, or whatever. Our basic set consists of the Whole note, the Half note, the Quarter note, the Eighth note, and the Sixteenth note. What does all this mean? Simply take a whole dollar and divide it by two, (half dollar) and then again by two, (quarter) and by two again (bit=eighth) and two again (half bit= sixteenth).
Look below and you can see the how we express the notes.
Notes:
w h q e
= Whole note: looks like a donut = Half note: we add a stem (vertical line) to the donut. The stem can go up or down. Look at any piece of music for examples. = Quarter note: we fill in the whole make it solid and keep the stem. = Eighth note: we add a flag to the stem.
s=
Sixteenth note: we add two flags to the stem
These are the five basic note symbols we use in most of the music and rhythms we will play.
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Dotted Notes:
We need to add one more component to complete our basic rhythm symbols. That will be the dot ., Heres how its applied. Add it directly behind the note and it becomes a dotted note. It means add half the value to the note. We will look at that in music math.
= Dotted half note: add a dot to the half note
j=
Rests:
Dotted quarter note: add a dot to the quarter note
We can add the dot to the other notes as well. This means to add half as much to the value of the note.
Our next symbol concept is the rest. instrument or beat is not played.
The rest will represent when an
So we will not strike a beat or beats when a rest appears. You get to relax and allow silence to be part of your rhythm. Silence is just as important as sound. It allows you add space and accents to your music. Keep this in mind when you listen to your music choices and see if you can find the rest points. The rests:
W H Q E S
= Whole rest: small rectangle on bottom of line, think of having the whole thing so heavy its pulling you down below the line. = Half rest: small rectangle on top of line, here the half rest is lighter and we can carry it above the line.
= Quarter rest: squiggle line almost looks like a bracket
= Eighth rest: a single flag on a slash mark or stem, similar to the eighthnote with one flag, = Sixteenth rest: two flags on a slash mark or stem just like the sixteenth note with two flags
These are the five basic rest symbols we use. So each note has an equal rest.
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Dotted Rests:
For our dotted notes, we have dotted rests. They are applied as with notes.
D J
Beams:
= Dotted half rest: add a dot to the half rest
= Dotted quarter rest: add a dot to the quarter rest
Before we move on lets explore the "beaming" of notes. Connecting together the flags of eighth and sixteenth notes is called a beam. It simply means pairing up the notes so there isnt a big long stream of individual notes. They would be hard to read, but instead, by grouping the notes they are much easier to read. Compare the following: 8 eighthnotes
eeeeeeee
Hard to read 8 sixteenth notes
to
nnnn
group easier to read
or
YY
even easier
ssssssss
Different note heads
to
NNNN
or
yy
Grouping provides a great way to easily read and recognize our rhythm pattern for these notes.
When rhythm is shown, there are other ways to show the notes. The note circles (Our donut and filled donuts) are called the "heads" of the notes. Because they can be time consuming to draw, we can use other ways to show them. The x head and the slash heads are very popular for showing straight rhythm and not be concerned with what note might be played.
x head examples
The slash will be used to indicate beats in a measure:
/ / / /
]
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Ties:
Another symbol we need to explore is the tie. Look at this sweeping line that connects the two notes. This is the tie. Its purpose in rhythm is to connect the notes to make them one note.
qUe = j
j = eVq
Our first set of notes show a quarter note and an eighth tied together giving them the same count value as a dotted quarter note. Our second set shows how a dotted quarter note is tied across a bar line with an eighth note and a quarter note. We wont be able to show a dotted quarter note across a bar line, so this is a one way we can use a tie. Ties are used to help combine notes of the same sound to show a longer duration and make it easier to read and see in time. Heres how we might see it written on a staff line:
At this point, we are only trying to see what a tie looks like and how it is used. Well get into what this means in rhythm later on. So for now, just understand that the tie shows two or more notes put together to show a longer length of time (and make it easier to read the music and rhythm). Thats a lot of symbols to absorb! There is a practice exercise on the next page to help you understand all the notes, rests, beams, and ties.
The Slur
The slur is similar to the tie in that you see a sweeping line. But it will go from one note to a different note. When it covers many notes it is an expression. Both examples are shown here.
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Rhythm Practice: Notes and Rests
Fill in the blank with the symbol that matches the description. ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ dotted half rest half note whole note dotted sixteenth rest quarter note dotted eighth rest eighth note quarter rest dotted half note Tied half note and quarter note Tied quarter note and sixteenth note ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ dotted sixteenth note sixteenth rest eighth rest dotted quarter note sixteenth note half rest dotted eighth note whole rest dotted quarter rest beam 4 eighth notes beam 2 sixteenth notes
How did you do? See the answers on the next page. If you missed a few, print this page and practice this once a day for a week until you Get it Down Cold.
SideBar
It is a little early in our process to use dotted sixteenth notes - but we include them here to push us slightly beyond what we will need in our beginning theory.
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Answers to the notes and rests practice.
D h w S. q I e Q d hUq qUs
dotted half rest
half note
whole note
dotted sixteenth rest
quarter note
dotted eighth rest
eighth note
quarter rest
dotted half note
Tied half note and quarter note Tied quarter note and sixteenth note
s. S E j s H i W J Y N
dotted sixteenth note
sixteenth rest
eighth rest
dotted quarter note
sixteenth note
half rest
dotted eighth note
whole rest
dotted quarter rest
beam 4 eighth notes
beam 2 sixteenth notes
So, lets explore the music theory math next and give all these symbols some meaning!
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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02 Music Theory and Music Math:
Many parts of Music Theory are based on mathematical concepts. You will see examples of this in the rhythm we learn here and the sound pitches we will learn about in the music staff. Here we start with the concept of note time value. Our basic understanding starts with the symbols used above where we can assign time to the note. First, lets look at the relationship of the notes and rests to each other.
Note Duration and Time Relationships
w W
and
= Whole note and rest: represents the time for a whole measure and is held for four counts of the measure.
h H
and
= Half note and rest: 1/2 of a whole note/rest, 2 half notes make a whole note/rest.
q Q
and
= Quarter note and rest: of a whole note/rest, of a half note/rest, 4 quarter notes make a whole note.
e E
and
= Eighth note and rest: 1/8 of a whole note/rest, of a quarter note, it takes 8 eighth notes to make a whole note.
s S
and
= Sixteenth note and rest: 1/16 of a whole note, of an eighth note, of a quarter note, it takes 4 sixteenth notes to make a quarter note,
(4 sixteenths beamed together) = The Dot: Add one half the value of the note attached to the dot.
Heres the example of the dot: a dotted half note
d= h+ q
is a half
note plus a quarter note, and is held for 3 full counts of a quarter note. Here are more dotted notes: Dotted quarter note:
Dotted eighth note:
j= q+ e i= e+ s
, quarter note plus an eighth note.
, eighth note plus a sixteenth note.
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Yes, the power of two - thats the math of basic rhythm. We will introduce other mathematical divisions later in our journey. As you can see, the most basic way to describe rhythm and note patterns is by divisions of 2.
Time Signatures and the Note Relationship

Rhythm is expressed, stated, and described with a time signature. Lets reexamine the measure we defined previously:
Time Signature
Quarter Note
Measure FOUR FOUR Time:

Here we have one of the most common time signatures, which is four-four time. We have found it easier to start with the bottom numeral to clarify what will be counted. What the numbers mean: The bottom numeral is the duration or length of the beat and is the counting note; in this case the quarter note. Recall. 1/4 is one quarter. Therefore, each quarter note gets a count of 1 beat.
If it is 1/8, then it represents an eighth note and each beat would be an
note.
The top numeral is the number of beats per measure; so we will have 4 beats per measure. Count and clap: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4. Or, to put the 4/4 time signature another way, The counting will be done on quarter notes (bottom) and there will be four counts per measure (top).
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Speed of Playing- Tempo
At this point we need to introduce how fast we clap these rhythms, our tempo. Do it slow at a speed you can control. Speed will be added and developed as you learn the rhythm. Speed is stated in terms of beats per minute. In this example,
=60 means to play a quarter note with 60 beats per minute. Or play one
quarter note per second. This is the baroque speed and is a great speed to learn simple rhythms. If we used
=60 we would play an eighth note every second. Which is twice
as slow as a quarter note. (each quarter note would get a beat every two seconds) Wow, thats a lot of fours in the previous pattern ! Lets try another one... how about the waltz rhythm? We all dance to this one. It is counted: ONE, two, three. ONE, two, three.
Time Signature - Three Quarter Time:
Only 3 quarter notes in a measure
This time we are working with three-four time. How do we count it? Work it from the top this time. 3 represents number of beats per measure, count and clap 1 - 2 - 3. 4 represents the time value of the beat a quarter note. We will do the counting on quarter notes and there will be three counts per measure. Next up - lets count on an eighth note.
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Time Signature: (Six Eight Time)
What happens if we decide to use eighth notes as our counting beat? Well, we can now make the bottom number an 8; so that every eighth note gets a count of 1.
This time we are working with six-eight time. How do we count it? The bottom number: 8 represents the time value of the beat an eighth note. The top number 6 represents number of beats per measure, count and clap 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 5 - 6. The beat will be on eighth notes and there will be 6 counts per measure.
Counting and the Time Signature:

Heres where we begin to get it together. The fun is about to begin. We are going to spend a lot of time here, because this is the foundation that will launch you to new heights in your ability to play music. A beat gets one count. 4/4 time signature Look at time signature of 4/4. Quarter note gets one beat and one count. So our basic counting is one two three four for the following measure.
$\q q q q\q q q q\
Count: Clap: 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x Each quarter note gets a beat count and a clap. Try it now several times in a row until it feels smooth.
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2/2 time signature Now look at the 2/2 time signature: Half note gets a beat and we have two per measure.
!\h
Count: Clap: 1 x
h\ h
2 x 1 x
h\
2 x
Each half note gets a beat count and a clap. Try it several times in a row until it feels smooth.
3/4 time signature Next up lets look at the 3/4 time signature. We are back to counting quarter notes as our beat, with three beats per measure. Try this one:
# \ q q q\ q q q \
Count: Clap: 1 x 2 x 3 x 1 x 2 x 3 x
6/8 time signature Now it is 6/8 time using the eighth note as our beat count.
P \ e e e e e e \ e e e e e e\
Count: 1 Clap: x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5 x 6 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5 x 6 x
Next, we will change it up and combine different note values.
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Counting With Other Notes:
So far we have really just looked at the straight beat, and worked with time signature beat notes that line up with every beat in our measure. Lets explore 6/8 time. Here, an eighth note will get one beat and quarter notes will get two beats. Where it says "hold", keep your hands together.
P \e e e e e e \ q
Count: 1 Clap: x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5 x 6 x 1 x 2 hold
q
3 x 4 hold
q \
5 x 6 hold
Did you catch the change in clapping in the second measure? Remember that a quarter note gets twice as many counts because it takes two eighth notes to make a quarter note. Therefore, we clap and hold. We say "hold" here because if we were playing a keyboard, we would play the quarter note and hold it through two beats (counts 1 & 2 of the second measure).
Adding A Variety Of Notes

Lets move it up a notch. Here - try it again with dotted notes and half notes. The arrow ( ) is continue to hold.
P \e e h
Count: 1 Clap: x 2 x 3 x 4 hold 5 6 Eighth note gets one clap per beat The half note (4
\j
1 x 2 hold 3
e q
4 x 5 x
\
6 hold
e notes) gets one clap for four beats (count 3 4 5 & 6) e notes) gets one clap for 3 beats (2
nd
The dotted quarter note (3 3) The quarter note (2
measure counts 1 2 &
e notes) gets one clap for 2 beats (count 5 & 6)
Practice this a few times to get the feel of it.
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Rhythm Adding rests

If we had an eighth note and an eighth rest, then we would play and release. Look at what weve done here with rests in our next rhythm sequence. Where it says hold keep your hands together. Where it says off take your hands apart. This is a tougher one, but its time to work a little harder.
{}
- Repeat bars: these notations mean to repeat what is between the bars.
P {e e E
Count: 1 Clap: x 2 x 3 off
e E
4 x 5 off
e\q
6 x 1 x 2 hold
e E
3 x 4 off
q
5 x
}
6 hold
If you are having a hard time with this, go back and look at each note slowly and individually. Then very slowly count and clap where shown until it feels natural. Going slowly will really help you get it down, speed comes in time, but not without first learning it. Always start slow and work up the speed as it starts to feel comfortable. In the MLW workbooks we go through each step needed to learn, gain endurance, and then master the rhythms. Thats when you groove on it!
Rhythm - Subdividing Beats by Two

So far, we have explored rhythm for straight beats, then observed what happens when we use notes other than the base beat. We also added rests to allow for silence as part of the rhythm. Now, we move one more step toward our goal of mastery. So what happens when we use eighth notes on a quarter beat pattern? Wow, what a great question! Who asked that? Lets investigate going from half notes on 4/4 time to using eighth notes on that time signature.
Adding eighth notes

Lets review quarter and half note and whole note in 4/4 time.
$\q q h
Count: Clap: 1 x 2 x 3 x
\w
4 hold 1 x 2 hold 3 4
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Now we add eighth notes. This is going to make us use two eighth notes ( quarter note (
e) for every
q),
so we are going to need to expand our counting ability.
The AND of Counting Rhythm

Introducing the and of counting... (Sometimes shown as & or +). We will use the + sign to show this in our examples. We have to divide our beat into two parts. And this is where the + helps us. Look at this rhythm:
$ {e e e e q
Count: Clap: 1 + x x (one beat ) 2 + x x (one beat ) 3 + x (one beat ) Our example is counted this way: one and two and three and four
q
4 + x (one beat )
and. (repeat a few times)
What did we do? Well, we simply took the beat and made it two parts. Thus, we have the beat number and the + making up the full time count for one beat.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE:
Now heres where we are going to insist on counting just as we stated it above and saying it out loud. In order to keep everything even you have to count all the pieces: one and two and three and four and
Until you get it down cold and can groove on the rhythm, here is what will happen if you dont count properly: You will count the above example like this: 1 - and - 2 - and - 3 - 4 When you count without the and you can short change beats 3 and 4 ending up with only 3 beats being counted because the tendency is to rush the beat count. The 4 will end up being in time with the and of 3. So always count out and. In this manner you will ensure the half beat is placed properly and your rhythm will be even.
On the next page are some practice rhythms.
Practice on these rhythms, be sure to count out loud and start slowly:
Copyright 2009 Music Learning Workshop, www.MusicLearningWorkshop.com Page 24
$ {q
Count: Clap: 1 x + 1 2
e e j
2 x + x 3 x + 4 3 4 5 6
e }
+ x 7
Cross off the number every time you complete five repeats (5x)
$ {j
Count: Clap: 1 x + 2 1 2 3
q
+ x 3 4
e e e }
+ x 4 x + x 5 6 7
$ {q
Count: Clap: 1 x + 1 2
E
2 off 3
e e E
+ x 3 x + off 4 5
e e }
4 x + x 6 7
P {q
Count: Clap: 1 x 2 1 2
e E
3 x 4 off 3 4
e e}
5 x 6 x 5 6 7
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Rhythm - Subdividing Beats By Four

So what happens when we use sixteenth notes on a quarter beat pattern? OK, another great question. Lets investigate using sixteenth notes on our 4/4 time signature.
Adding sixteen notes

Lets review where we added eighth notes in 4/4 time.
$ {e e e e q
Count: Clap: 1 + x x (one beat ) 2 + x x (one beat ) 3 + x (one beat )
q
4 + x (one beat )
Using and (as a way to divide the beat in two) allowed the use of eighth notes. Similarly, adding sixteenth notes means the half beats need to be divided again. This is going to make us use two sixteenth notes (
) for every eighth note(
). Which
extends to using four sixteenth notes (
)for every quarter note (
). So we are going
to need to expand our counting ability again.
e and a of Counting Rhythm

Introducing the e long sound a and a short sound a of counting. Our new one beat count will be done this way: 1 e + a (one beat ) one ee and a
And our 4 count measure is done this way: 1 e + a (one beat) 2 e + a (one beat) 3 e + a (one beat) 4 e + a (one beat )
We have to divide our beat into four parts.
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Rhythm - Subdividing Beats By Four

Look at this rhythm where we work with 2/4 time signature:
@ { s s s s s s s s}
Count: Clap: 1 e + a x x x x (------one beat--------) 2 e + a x x x x (------one beat------) Our rhythm is counted this way: one ee and a two ee and a
Once again we took the beat and made it four parts. Now lets explore further the counting with other notes. Once again it is very important to count all four pieces of the beat to keep the rhythm smooth and consistent. Practice on these rhythms. Be sure to count out loud and start slowly:
@ {s s e
Count: Clap: 1 e + a x x x (------one beat--------)
2 e + a x (---------one beat------)
Cross off the number every time you complete five repeats (5x) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
@ {i
Count: Clap:
s e
s s}
1 e + a x x (------one beat--------)
2 e + a x x x (---------one beat------)
Page 27
Rhythm - Subdividing Beats by Three (Triplets)

Review the straight beats on the 3/4 time signature.
#\ q q q\
Count: 1 2 3 What if we wanted to divide the beats into 3 sub-parts:
# { e e e e e e e e e}
Count: Clap: 1 + a x x x (---one beat---) 2 + a x x x (---one beat---) 3 + a x x x (---one beat---) Counted it this way: one and a (--one beat---) two and a (--one beat--) three and a (--one beat--)
Once again, we took the beat and made it three parts. How would you know that three 8th notes would be counted this way? There are a couple of ways that this will show up. Take a look: One common way is to express 3 beamed
indicating a triplet, like this.
Or
e t
with a 3 and bracket across the top
for quarter notes.
They can be written with 3 beamed 8th notes like this
Here is an example of the x head:
$ \ \ or
Explore further the counting with other notes. Once again, it is very important to count all three pieces of the beat to keep the rhythm smooth and consistent.
Page 28

Rhythm More Practice Subdividing Beats by Three (Triplets)
Practice on these rhythms, be sure to count out loud and start slowly - although they are shown individually here, they will be beamed or in some way indicated as grouped in threes
T
1 Count: Clap:
T
2
T
3
# {e e e q
1 + x x ( one beat a x ) 2 + x ( one beat a )
e e S}
3 + x x ( one beat a off )
Swing is a variation of this concept where a display of
will be a 3 pattern of
and the clapping will occur on the "1" and "a", Heres the basic swing rhythm. Accent the a, we use the > to show the accent on a note. > > Count: 1 + a 2 + a 3 Clap or voice: Soft off Loud Soft off Loud Soft
$ { e E e e E e e E e e E e}
Count: Clap: 1 + a x off > (-one beat--) 2 + a x off > (-one beat--) 3 + a x off > (--one beat-) 4 + a x off > (--one beat-) Cross off the number every time you complete five repeats (5x) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Assignment L02 Part 1:

Ok this was a long lesson to cover rhythm math concepts. Now it's time to work with them. On the next page is a short test to see how you are doing with learning the rhythm math and working with ties. At the bottom of the page there is a link to an additional practice sheet. Download and work with it. Go back over the next week and practice each of the rhythm divisions we covered. You can practice each one once a day to cross off a box . Remember you have to repeat each rhythm 5 times to cross off a box.
Page 29

Getting Relationships Solid
These examples show equal durations or lengths of time. The ties make the other notes combined to be of the same time count. Quarter note math:
q= e+ e = q= eUe = w= j= h= d= hUh qUe qUq jU_ = = =
e+ s+ s = s+ s+ s+ s eUsUs = sUsUsUs hUqUq = _UsUs = qU_Ue = = qUqU_ = qU qUqUq eUeU_ qU eU_Us qU eU_U_
Quarter note time - shown tied, each gets one beat and one clap:
More tie relationships. Fill in the blanks.
Counting Quarter beat equivalents but counted differently: 1 beat each,
q \ n \ e N \ m \N N
clap 1 | 1+ | 1e +a | 1e +a | 1e +a
More Practice: www.MusicLearningWorkshop.com/support-files/mlw-rhythm-practice-no2.pdf
Page 30

Summary Chart of Beats and Time Signature
This chart will help you see how many beats each note gets when the bottom numeral is a 2, 4, or an 8. You must have enough subdivisions to be able to count. Counting 16th notes in 2/2 time would require 8 subdivisions of a half note - not exactly an easy thing to count!
Beat counts for notes Note Symbol
Beat Bottom #
typical Time signature
Half note (2)
Quarter note (4)
Eighth note (8)
! K L
2 1 1/2 1 3/4 1/2 3/8 1/4 1/8
$ ^
4 3 2 1 1/2 1 3/4 1/2 1/4
P()
8 6 4 3 2 1 1/2 1
Note Name Whole Dotted half Half Dotted quarter Quarter Dotted eighth eighth sixteenth
Beats/note (e.g. 3/4 means 3 parts per beat)
w d h j q i e s
By continuing to divide by two, we get 32nd notes and by two again for 64th notes.
At this time that is a little too much detail, so we will explore these notes in our advanced concepts when the time is right.
Page 31
Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02 Lesson 02 - Part 2 - Rhythm Math
Practice technique:
Although there are many tips and techniques that can be explained, only one tip is offered here. That is focusing on just one thing at a time. If first you accent the first beat of the rhythm, the next step may be focusing on accenting the first and third beat. And then the second and forth, etc. By taking these simple steps of concentrated effort, you begin your mastery of the theory and your abilities. As you get more comfortable with the material, you will find the exercises are easier to learn and your confidence level increases. You will know you "Own it" when you have elasticity and flexibility to groove on the rhythm. You have the ability to play with it, change it at random, slow it down, speed it up, adjust to circumstance and still have complete control of it. You can even get to the point of getting ahead or behind the beat on purpose rather than trying to catch it. Several things are going to happen in this process. We start with the basic pattern and then modify it in subsequent lessons. As you master the basic pattern, you will find that the other modifications are really just different approaches and you will quickly move on to staying power, and then to "owning it". The base or fundamental patterns are the most critical to learn because everything else is built off of them. Take your time in the first stages - it will pay off as you start into the variations. Do this, and you will get it down cold and master the concepts. The base pattern is extensively developed in the worksheet pages. After that, the worksheets are shorter in notation - but carry just as much weight.
Notations:
In our worksheets we start showing how the beat would look on a music staff. We will typically use two measures to show the rhythm and repeat those measures to achieve our target of the moment. The following notations are found in the work sheets: R = right hand L = Left hand B = both hands. The metronome is used to pace your rhythm. Use it to gain consistency in speed and smoothness. Metronome speed = the number of beats per minute, is used to set the speed at which you play. Your pace is shown as
=60, quarter note equals 60 beats per minute.
The suggested speed to start is 60. Slow it down if you cannot keep in time with the metronome. Your objective is to tap or clap in time with the metronome. When you "own it", you will begin to hear the clicks disappear as you master the rhythm.
Page 32
TIME SIGNATURE RHYTHM
Rhythm Foundations Introduction

Quarter and Eighth Note Variations
This workshop establishes 12 Basic 4/4 time signature Rhythm variations for quarter note and eighth notes. You will start with two in this lesson and add new ones as we go through the rest of our lessons. These basic patterns are intended to help the student master the basic rhythms and push advancement of the base rhythm. As the more difficult rhythms are learned they will become easier and quicker to master. The student will use these work sets to learn, gain endurance, and then master the rhythms. We call it Getting It Down Cold. Foundation series are for the beginning student or students that struggle to remain consistent in holding their rhythm. The work sets focus intently on just one rhythm and approach it in several ways, providing multiple experiences with one rhythm. In doing so, the basic patterns are owned by the student as they experience adding notes and chords to their learning experience. This focused experience of concentration and energy and a path to completion is basic in all methods of completing any task. We use it here to accelerate learning of music concepts. The work sets allow the student to monitor progress directly on the worksheets, so that you can pick up right where you left off. The work sets are typically 5 pages long and can be printed out in individual sets for learning and practice. It is possible to use several work sets at one time. You can be working in step 4 on one set, where you are mastering one rhythm, then step 3 in another as you can gain endurance with a different pattern, or working step 2 in yet another one where you are trying to learn a new pattern. How they are used is going to be based on the students ability, need to relax after doing a lengthy practice, and other factors that the student's may want to develop. Use the tracking chart to check off the boxes to track your progress. You can also add dates and assignments to help keep the progress moving forward. Dont be surprised if during the progress, all of a sudden you are feeling the groove before completing the work set. If that happens, you will have accomplished the intent of the work set early - and there is nothing wrong with that! Have fun, take your time, and master the rhythms.
Page 33

Assignment L02 Part 2:
Ok let's get started. The next 9 pages are your first rhythm practice sets. In this lesson you will begin the basic 4/4 time signature using all the beats and then a variation of using only beats 1 and 3 . Your assignment as a minimum is to complete step one and two of each set and begin step 3. Print out these pages and begin a new workbook for rhythm practice sets. After these are started we will be adding subdivisions and exploring more variations with the other time signatures and patterns. You will continue to practice on each set every day for a few minutes.
Page 34
1.
$ Rhythm Basic Beat Pattern
$ Rhythm is one of the most common rhythms in play today. The $ Rhythm is also shown as c, known as common time. It will not take long to learn.
The You will build your skill around it in 5 other worksheets, and then begin to break it down into more complex parts.
Step One - Learn It:

Get to know the basic structure. Count out loud and clap the beat as shown. Do it slowly until you feel comfortable with it. Repeat it at least 4 times. Cross off your progress here: 1 2 3 4
$ { q q q q \ q q q q}
Count: Clap: 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x
Step two: New Approaches:

Now you need to tap your hand on your legs, the table, or another object. Still count out loud; this is important in our auditory learning sense. Do each 7 times. For any practice you have difficulty with, repeat the rhythm series another 7 times. Come back later if you have to. We start with the right hand (R): Use a metronome speed of 60. If you need to slow down, thats OK - its more important to do it correctly than at speed.
$ { q q q q \ q q q q}
Count: Tap: Progress: 1 R 1 2 R 2 3 R 3 4 R 4 1 R 5 2 R 6 3 R 7 4 R
Page 35

1. Using the left hand (L):
$ Rhythm Basic Beat Pattern-cont

2 L 2 3 L 3 4 L 4 1 L 5 2 L 6 3 L 7 4 L
$ { q q q q \ q q q q}
Count: Tap: Progress: 1 L 1 Alternate the hands (R L R L):
$ { q q q q \ q q q q}
Count: Tap: Progress: 1 R 1 2 L 2 3 R 3 4 L 4 1 R 5 2 L 6 3 R 7 4 L Alternate the hands on different beats (L R L R):
$ { q q q q \ q q q q}
Count: Tap: Progress: Double up (R R L L): 1 L 1 2 R 2 3 L 3 4 R 4 1 L 5 2 R 6 3 L 7 4 R
$ { q q q q \ q q q q}
Count: Tap: Progress: Double up (L L R R): 1 R 1 2 R 2 3 L 3 4 L 4 1 R 5 2 R 6 3 L 7 4 L
$ { q q q q \ q q q q}
Count: Tap: Progress: 1 L 1 2 L 2 3 R 3 4 R 4 1 L 5 2 L 6 3 R 7 4 R
Page 36

1.
You have covered a lot of ground so far. Congratulations! Is it getting easier and faster? If not, dont worry... a little more time and it will seem like nothing at all. Accenting beats Next we are going to change it up some more to add an accent to our rhythm. When you see this sign > it will mean to accent or to make louder or stronger. When you count, make the accented portion loud (As in ONE two three four). When you tap, it will be stronger, but dont get carried away. Just make it feel a little more forceful than the rest of the taps. We will use different hands as well to help you make the difference known. Accent Beat 1 (R L L L):
$ { q q q q \ q q q q}
Accent: Count: Tap: Progress: Next: (L R R R) Tap: Progress: > > 2 L 2 R 2 3 L 3 R 3 4 L 4 R 4
1
R 1 L 1
1
R 5 L 5
2 L 6 R 6
3 L 7 R 7
4 L
Accent Beat 1 & 3 (R L R L):
$ { q q q q \ q q q q}
Accent: Count: Tap: Progress: Next: (L R L R) Tap: Progress: > 1 R 1 2 L 2 > 3 R 3 4 L 4 > 1 R 5 2 L 6 > 3 R 7 4 L
L 1
R 2
L 3
R 4
L 5
R 6
L 7
Page 37

1.
Step three: Work It

Now that you have the basic approach down, it is time to develop staying power. The intent of this section is to gain endurance in playing. Taking the variations we have worked with, you need to be able to play them for an extended period of time. We have found the best way to do that is by working with them in incremental or small steps. The chart below allows you to build the rhythm up over time. Do not try to do all the boxes for a line at one time. You may go across, down or both but you can get tired fast. So relax and do one or two boxes at a time. This is a two part process for time and speed. Repeat for time indicated. This will not be as easy as it sounds! Repeating the same sequence over and over for 5 minutes takes a lot of effort. But be assured it will pay in the end. Use a metronome at a moderate speed. The metronome speeds are suggestions and can be changed to meet your comfort level. Push yourself, but make sure you can control it at whatever speed you choose. Preferably you start slow, master it and then increase speed a little at a time.
${q q q q}
> = accent 1/2 Tap Hand Combination Duration (minutes) / Metronome speed 1 2 3 4 >5
=60
=64
=68
=72
=76
=80
RRRR LLLL RRLL LLRR RLRL LRLR RLLL LRRR Mix it up*
> beat 1 > beat 1 > beat 1 > beat 1 > beat 1 > beat 1 > beat 1 > beat 1 > beat 1
>1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3
>2&4 >2&4 >2&4 >2&4 >2&4 >2&4 >2&4 >2&4 >2&4
>1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3
>2&4 >2&4 >2&4 >2&4 >2&4 >2&4 >2&4 >2&4 >2&4
* Play with the different combinations - free form - improvise. At some point, during this process of gaining endurance you will have made a move from learning to owning the rhythm. Moving into the next step is going to allow you to completely own and control the rhythm.
Page 38

1.
Step Four: Own It

Tap along with any of your favorite songs so that you can pick out this simple beat. The idea is not to get into the sub beats, but to work only on the major four beat count with this rhythm. You will become aware of all the things going on, but you must be able to keep just this beat sequence. Test yourself with a metronome. Using all the combinations of tapping available to you at any time, mix them up, play them ten or twenty times in a row. Check off or color in the box when you have been able to tap out the rhythm smooth and in time with the metronome. You wont be perfect, but dont worry about it - we all fumble along the way. Its your ability to get back on track and stay with it that counts. R otate accent notes at will to further your mastery. RRRR RLRL LLLL LRLR RRLL RLLL LLRR LRRR
${q q q q}
Metronome speed
q=
-Accent Beats 60 70 80 90 100 120 140 2 1 2 2
Duration (minutes) 3 3 3 4 4 1,3 4 2,4 5 1,3 5 2,4
Having completed the worksheet, you should now own this rhythm. If you dont feel like you do, go back and pick up where you think you need to work on it. For some it, comes very quickly. For others it takes more work and time. Congratulations on completing this Rhythm!
Page 39
2.
$ Rhythm Play Beat 1 & 3
In this
$ beat pattern, the rhythm is defined by playing beats 1 & 3. The rest indicates
times when the sound is not played. In order to be able to keep an even pace, use the foot as a means of keeping time. The foot will move in time with the basic beat. Use the ball or the heel of your left foot in a tapping motion to keep time. It will tap 1 2 3 4 over and over again.
Step One - Learn It:

Start with counting and tap your foot several times to get the rhythm. Add clapping at the 1 and 3 beats as shown. Do it slowly until you feel comfortable with it. Repeat it at least 4 times. Cross off your progress here: 1 2 3 4
$ {q Q
Count: Clap: Foot: 1 x x 2 x
q Q\ q Q
3 x x 4 x 1 x x 2 x
q Q}
3 x x 4 x
Step two: New Approaches:

Now you need to tap your hand on your legs, the table, or another object. Still count out loud; this is important in our auditory learning sense. Do each one 7 times. For any practice you have difficulty with, repeat the rhythm series another 7 times. Come back later if you have to. We start with the right hand (R): Use a metronome speed of 60. If you need to slow down thats OK, its more important to do it correctly than to worry about speed.
$ {q Q
Count: Tap: Foot: Progress: 1 R x 1 2 x 2
q Q\ q Q
3 R x 3 4 x 4 1 R x 5 2 x 6
q Q}
3 R x 7 4 x
Page 40
2. Using the left hand (L):
$ Rhythm Play Beat 1 & 3-cont
$ {q Q
Foot: Count: Tap Hand: Progress: Alternate the hands Foot: Count: Tap: Progress: Alternate the hands Foot: Count: Tap: Progress: x 1 L 1 2 x 2
q Q\ q Q
x 3 L 3 x 3 L 3 4 x 4 4 x 4 x 1 L 5 x 1 R 5 6 x 2 6 x 2 x 2
q Q}
x 3 L 7 x 3 L 7 x 3 R 7 x 4 x 4 x 4
(R L R L): x x 1 2 R 1 2
on different beats (L R L R): x x x x x 1 2 3 4 1 L R L 1 2 3 4 5
Double up (R R L L): Foot: x Count: 1 Tap: R Progress: 1
x 2 2
x 3 R 3
x 4 4
x 1 L 5
x 2 6
x 3 L 7
x 4
Double up (L L R R): Foot: x Count: 1 Tap: L
x 2
x 3 L
x 4
x 1 R
x 2
x 3 R
x 4
Progress: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Six more tapping patterns done. Move on to accenting. 4 patterns.
Page 41

2. Accenting beats Next we are going to change it up, and add an accent to our rhythm. When you see this sign > it will mean to accent or to make louder or stronger. When you count make the accented portion loud (As in ONE two three four). When you tap it will be stronger, but dont get carried away. Just make it feel a little more forceful than the rest of the taps. We will use different hands as well to help you make the difference known. Accent Beat 1 (R L R L): Foot: x x x x x x x x
$ {q Q
Accent: Count: Tap: Progress: Next: (L R L R): Accent: Count: Tap: Progress: >
q Q\ q Q
> 3 L 3 4
q Q}
3 L 7 4
1
R 1
1
R 5
>
> 2 3 R 3 4
1
L 1
1
L 5
3 R 7
Accent Beat 3 (R L R L): Accent: Count: 1 Tap: R Progress: Next: (L R L R): Accent: Count: Tap: Progress: 1
2 2
> 3 L 3 > 3 R 3
4 4
1 R 5
2 6
> 3 L 7 > 3 R 7
1 L 1
1 L 5
Page 42

2.
Step three: Work It
${q Q
> = accent 1/2 Tap Hand Combination
q Q\ q Q
=64
q Q}
>5
Duration (minutes) / Metronome speed 1 2 3 4
=60
=68
=72
=76
=80
RRRR LLLL RLRL LRLR RRLL LLRR RLLL LRRR

Mix it up*
>3 >3 >3 >3 >3 >3 >3 >3 >3
>1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3
>3 >3 >3 >3 >3 >3 >3 >3 >3
>1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3 >1&3
* Play with the different combinations - free form - improvise.
Step Four: Own It

RRRR RLRL LLLL LRLR RRLL RLLL LLRR LRRR
${q Q
Metronome speed
q Q\ q Q
2 1 2 3 2 1,3 3 1 3 3
q Q}
4 1,3 5 1 5 3
q=
-Accent Beats 60 70 80 90 100 120 140
Duration (minutes)
Page 43
Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02 Lesson 02 - Part 3

Getting Piano Notes Down Cold
Step 3: Flash card preparation

It is important that you take the time to do a physical exercise that requires you to use your hands to prepare a material item. This process helps reinforce the knowledge you have gained in reading the material. On the following pages are 12 little keyboards. Print out the sheets and cut up the keyboards into equal pieces. On each sheet draw a ? on a different key, (Use a white pencil to mark the black keys.) On the back write the name of the note. For the black keys, write both the sharp name and the flat name. Review lesson 01 if you have difficultly remembering the note names. Now you're ready to own those notes! Go to step four after you have your cards completed.
Page 44

Flash Cards
Page 45

Flash Cards
Copyright 2008 - 2009 Music Learning Workshop, www.MusicLearningWorkshop.com
Page: 46
Step 4: Own it! Studying with Flash Cards.

Mix up the cards and use them as flash cards to see how quickly you can name the note. For the black keys decide if you are doing sharps or flats for your first few times. After you feel you know them well say both names. Here is a chart to help you track your progress. Flash Card Set 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Seconds Flash Card Set 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Seconds
Preview the next section because next we will be going into the master staff.
Page: 47
Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02 Bonus Note Knowledge
Applying what youve learned to the master staff
The notes you have just learned are repeated over and over again on the staff. For the notes we use, it happens 4 times. The sound or pitch of the note is related to what part of the staff it is on from the low C up to high C. Here we see the range of notes associated with the two clefs. Don't worry about learning them yet - we will do that soon in "Mastering the Master Staff". The Treble Clef and the notes from middle C to high C:
Middle C
Our basic 7 notes The Bass Clef and the notes from Low C to middle C:
another set
Middle C
Our 7 notes, starting on C
another set
Dont get hung up here, we always use the seven notes, you can start on any note and use the seven notes names before starting over again. Starting on F its: F The Full Keyboard When you look at an 88 key keyboard the first note at the far left is A and repeats the note pattern until you get to the other end and the last note on the far right is C. The master staff only covers 49 of the keys and the other 39 or above or below the staff. G A B C D E & back to F
Page: 48

This note workshop has shown you the typical pattern of the notes on a piano keyboard. You have learned a total of 17 notes: A set of 7 notes (A to G) on the white keys, and 10 notes for the black keys (5 sharps and 5 flats). You also have seen how the notes are related and how sharps and flats are named. You can determine the additional two sharps and two flats that are part of the notes.
One last thing: this symbol
is called the natural sign. If you see it in music it means
that a previous note was either sharp or flat and now it will be back to its root. F# would become just F. Read more on this subject at the blog for tips and the conversation in trying to clear it up: http://mlblog.musiclearningworkshop.com/87/music-sharp-and-flat-notes
Review Questions: 1. Can you determine how E and B are made sharp? 2. Can you determine how F and C are made flat?
Answers: 1. E# is the same as the F key; 2. Fb is the same as the E key; B# is the same as the C key. Cb is the same as the B key.
Page: 49
Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02 Wrapping it up

You are at the end of your second lesson. 1. Learning rhythm is a lifelong commitment; you do it naturally when you listen to music and tap your feet to what you hear. The trick in playing is translating that natural ability to something you see visually and then making it become natural as well. 2. You will work on many rhythms and we will give you a way to work on those that don't come naturally in the future. If you struggle with rhythm as much as I have you will appreciate this way of consistently improving your skill as you learn music. Talk to you soon Your next lesson comes in two weeks after this one. Stay tuned Brad Chidester Publisher, Music Learning Workshop
Coming up Next
Next Lesson we will Continue with rhythm. We will introduce three new rhythm patterns in every lesson. So every five days you will work with new variations of things you have already learned. At the end of this course you will have been exposed to 34 different patterns and learn to create a practice sheet for new ones you encounter. Also in the next lesson we will begin to learn the master staff. This seems to scare many new musicians. However, I'm hear to tell you it's going to fun and exciting to learn the notes on the staff in a new way.
Previous lessons GIDC-00-Introduction-Organization.pdf and GIDC-01-note-defs-symbols-keyboard.pdf Click Here to access
Page: 50
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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course

Lesson 02Rhythm Math And Piano/ Keyboard Flash

Copyright 2009 Music Learning Workshop, www.MusicLearningWorkshop.com

Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course

Copyright 2009 Music Learning Workshop, www.MusicLearningWorkshop.com

Preview Lesson 2 - Rhythm Math and Final Piano Notes

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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02

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Copyright 2009 Music Learning Workshop, www.MusicLearningWorkshop.com

Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02 Introduction:

The Basic Building Blocks of Rhythm

Take your time

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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02

Beat and Tempo:

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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02

Here is what the master staff looks like:

One Measure from bar line to bar line

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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02

Notes and rests:

This is the whole note

This is the quarter note

This is the whole rest

This is the quarter rest

We have many others that we will explore in the symbols section.

Copyright 2009 Music Learning Workshop, www.MusicLearningWorkshop.com

Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02

is 4 beats per measure counted by quarter notes.

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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02

Sixteenth note: we add two flags to the stem

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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02

= Dotted half note: add a dot to the half note

Dotted quarter note: add a dot to the quarter note

The rest will represent when an

= Quarter rest: squiggle line almost looks like a bracket

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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02

= Dotted half rest: add a dot to the half rest

= Dotted quarter rest: add a dot to the quarter rest

The slash will be used to indicate beats in a measure:

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Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02

Copyright 2009 Music Learning Workshop, www.MusicLearningWorkshop.com

Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02

Copyright 2009 Music Learning Workshop, www.MusicLearningWorkshop.com

Getting It Down Cold Music Theory Course Lesson 02

Answers to the notes and rests practice.

dotted half rest

dotted sixteenth rest

dotted eighth rest

dotted half note

dotted sixteenth note

dotted quarter note

dotted eighth note

dotted quarter rest

beam 4 eighth notes

beam 2 sixteenth notes

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Note Duration and Time Relationships