The first step in understanding rhythms is to memorize the various
notes and their note values: whole note four beats long half note two beats long quarter note one beat long eighth note half a beat long sixteenth note quarter of a beat. It's confusing to think of something being an eighth of a beat, and you may wonder why a note that is one beat long is called a uarter note! "hy wouldn't it be called a whole note, since it's a whole beat# It's because we name our notes based on the length of time they are played within a measure, not based on how many beats they are! Think of a measure as a whole pie, in that it can be cut into uarters $% pieces&, eighths $' pieces&, and so on! ( whole note is called a whole note because it is played and held for a whole measure! ( uarter note is called a uarter note because a full uarter note takes up e)actly one uarter of a measure! *ow that we understand why the notes are named the way they are, let's look at the chart again: whole note Fills a whole measure half note played for half a measure quarter note one quarter of a measure eighth note eighth of a measure sixteenth note sixteenth of a measure The ne)t step to take is to actually count through the rhythms! Counting Through The Rhythms (s evenly as you can, count to % like this: + , - , . , %, + , - , . , %! /epeat the counting over and over again! Try to make sure each number is evenly spaced! 0on't count like this: +!!! -!!! . %!!! or any other 1ilted time! It doesn't matter how fast you count, but keep the numbers evenly spaced! 2ou are counting % beats in a measure, so each number is the value of a uarter note3 4ongratulations3 *ow, while counting, clap your hands only when you say 5+!5 6old your hands together to simulate holding the note until you have said %, then clap again on +! 2ou are now 5playing5 a whole note3 WITH METRONOME: 7et your metronome to about 89! *ow clap with each beep of the metronome! This is uarter notes! It is actually hard to keep :;(4T<2 with the metronome, for more than a few beeps! Try closing your eyes to fully concentrate! It may take several sessions, over several days, to achieve perfect clapping or counting with the metronome! =ut it is essential,,,you want to be able to play along with everyone in your orchestra,,,so you need to be able to play in rhythm! *e)t, set your metronome to about +-9! 4lap with each beep! 2ou are 5playing5 uarter notes! $If your metronome can emphasize a beat, use that feature&! 7etting it back to about 89, continue to count +-.%, but clap an e)tra time between each count! It might help to say 5+ and - and . and % and5 so you stay even! >nce you get this down you are clapping eighths3 2ou've divided the pie into eight even pieces3 7tudy the diagram below: *otice that the eighth notes on the fourth line $called a staff in music& look a little different than this ! Their flags are 1oined together3 This simply makes for easier reading! The same is true for any other note with a flag!