(Review) Rhythmic Notation (study notes)
Rhythm Notes
The Staff:
The Notes:
Tied and Dotted Rhythms:
Time Signature:
Tells you how many and what kind of notes per measure there are. The number on top is the number of beats per measure, and the bottom number is what kind of note equals one beat.
Take for example the most popular time signature, 4/4. This means there are 4 quarter notes (or the equivalent) per measure.
Looking at 4/4, you saw the 4 on top. You already knew that meant there were 4 somethings per measure.
Then looking at the bottom number probably confused you. The bottom number can be 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, etc.
Bottom Number --> Note Value
1 -->Whole note
2--> Half note
4--> Quarter note
8 --> Eighth note
16--> Sixteenth note
For example:
3/4 is 3 quarter notes (or the equivalent) per measure.
5/2 is 5 half notes per measure.
6/8 is 6 eighth notes per measure.
There are also 2 other common ways to write Time Signature:
Common Time (same as 4/4)
Cut Time: (same as 2/2, or 4/4 cut in half.) Example: a half note = 1 quarter note, a whole note = 1 half note.