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Rhythm Reading
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You should take the time every practice
session to work on specific rhythms. Let's first learn a bit
about rhythm and at the bottom of the page you can choose
from a variety of cool rhythm exercises:
The time signature is placed after
the treble clef.
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Any key other
than the key of C major/ A minor would have sharps (#) or flats
(b) placed between the Treble clef and Time Signature. |
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The top number tells us how
many beats we can have in each measure.
The bottom number tells us what type of note gets the
beat. (This is also how long the whole note
will be held for)
The 2 measures below are divided by
a bar line.
The double bar line at the end represents the end.
Common time (C) is the same as 4/4
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All the examples on the right have a metronome
set at 60bpm (beats per minute) and all are common time (4/4).
60bpm is the tempo.
The quarter note gets the beat in common
time (4/4) and with the metronome set at 60 it would be the same
as the second hand on a clock.
Please note: The time signature does not have anything to do with
the tempo (speed) of the song. The time signature tells us what
of type of note gets the beat and how many beats are in each measure.
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Whole note
Worth 4 beats in 4/4 orth
4 beats in 4/4
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The whole note is held for
the value of the bottom number in the time signature. In 4/4 or
Common time the bottom number is 4 and so the whole note is held
for 4 beats. Because the top number is also 4 we can only have 4
beats in a measure. Since the whole note is worth 4, we can't fit
anything else in this measure.
Listen
midi file for slower connections (right click to open in new window)
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Half note
Worth 2 beats in 4/4
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The half note is worth half
of the whole note.
So if the whole note is worth 4 beats, the half note is worth 2.
As long as the top number is 4, we can have 4 beats which means
we can put 2 half notes in the measure.
Listen
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Quarter note
Worth 1 beat in 4/4
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The quarter note will be worth
half of a half note. So in the case of 4/4 where the half note was
worth 2, the quarter note will be worth 1 and we could have 4 in a
measure.
Listen
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Eighth note
Worth 1/2 a beat in 4/4
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The eighth note is worth
half of the quarter note. Which means it is only worth half of a
beat. 2 connected together would be worth 1 beat and we could put
a total of 8 in a measure.
Listen
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Sixteenth note
Worth 1/4 of a beat in 4/4
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The sixteenth note will
be worth half of an eighth note. So a single sixteenth note in
4/4 time would only be worth 1/4 of a beat. You could play 4 sixteenth
notes in one beat and 16 in a measure.
Listen
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The exercise to the left uses just your open
G string.
Listen
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Below you can compare 4/4 with 6/8 time. Notice with each new note
value it is half of the previous note value. |
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4/4
- Whole = 4
- Half = 2
- Quarter = 1
- Eighth = 1/2
- Sixteenth = 1/4
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6/8
- Whole = 8
- Half = 4
- Quarter = 2
- Eighth = 1
- Sixteenth = 1/2
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Are you ready? Pick a video lesson below:
Erotomania - Dream Theater - crazy changing
time signatures and a great finger gymnastics workout.
Knockin on Heavens Door - Bob Dylan - easy
open chords and a great strum pattern
SignUp
to learn more about different time signatures and a complete online
guitar method designed to have lots of fun while learning what
you need to know to become the player you want to be!
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