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Rhythm Reading
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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.
(Also how long to hold the whole note for)
Measures are divided by barlines.
Common time (C) is the same as 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
(right click to open in new window)
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Whole note
Worth 4 beats in 4/4
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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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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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Quarter note
Worth 1 beat in 4/4
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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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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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Sixteenth note
Worth 1/4 of a beat in 4/4
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Listen
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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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.
SignUp
to learn more about different time signatures!
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