Overview
This module introduces rhythmic notation. You’ll learn how durational symbols like whole, half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes, and their corresponding rests are built from noteheads, stems, beams, and flags. We’ll also cover how dots and ties modify duration, and how tempo (the speed of the music) is indicated using terms and metronome marks.
Objectives
By the end of this module you should be able to:
- Identify and explain the relative duration of notes and rests from whole to sixteenth
- Explain how dots and ties modify durational symbols
- Give an example of one slow, medium, and fast tempo marking
Key Terms
- Duration
- How long a note or silence lasts.
- Whole note
- The basic unit of musical rhythm (4 counts).
- Half note
- A note lasting half a whole note (2 counts).
- Quarter note
- A note lasting a quarter of a whole note (1 count).
- Eighth note
- A note lasting one eighth of a whole note (.5 count - 2 per count).
- Rest
- A symbol indicating silence for a set duration.
- Whole / Half / Quarter / Eighth / Sixteenth Rest
- Silence matching the duration of their corresponding note value.
- Notehead
- The oval part of the note (open or filled).
- Stem
- A vertical line attached to a notehead.
- Flag
- A curved symbol attached to a stem.
- Beam
- A replacement for flags, a horizontal line that groups notes that normally have flags.
- Augmentation Dot (Dot)
- A dot after a note or rest that adds half its value.
- Tie
- A curve that joins two notes of the same pitch together to combine their durations.
- Tempo
- The speed of a piece of music.
- Metronome marking
- A number representing the speed of music using beats per minute.