Overview
This lecture explains the names, values, and symbols of musical notes and rests, including the concept of dotted notes and their mathematical relationships.
Note Names, Values, and Symbols
- The British note names are: semibreve (whole note), minim (half note), crotchet (quarter note), quaver (eighth note), and semiquaver (sixteenth note).
- A semibreve (whole note) looks like a small letter 'o' and has a value of 4 beats.
- A minim (half note) looks like a semibreve with a stem and is worth 2 beats; two minims equal one semibreve.
- A crotchet (quarter note) has a black note head with a stem and is worth 1 beat; four crotchets equal one semibreve.
- A quaver (eighth note) is like a crotchet with one tail and is worth 0.5 beats; eight quavers equal one semibreve.
- Two or more quavers next to each other are joined by a beam; this is called beaming.
- A semiquaver (sixteenth note) is like a quaver with a second tail and is worth 0.25 beats; sixteen semiquavers equal one semibreve.
- Semiquavers and quavers can be beamed together, but tails and beams must be drawn correctly for clarity.
Dotted Notes
- A dot added to a note increases its value by half its original value.
- A dotted minim (dotted half note) has a value of 3 beats (2 + 1).
- A dotted crotchet equals 1.5 beats (1 + 0.5).
- A dotted quaver equals 0.75 beats (0.5 + 0.25).
- The dot must appear to the right of the note head, not above or below.
Rest Symbols and Values
- Rests indicate musical silence for a specific duration.
- Crotchet rest (quarter rest) represents 1 beat and is drawn like a 'Z' with a loop.
- Quaver rest (eighth rest) looks like a stylized '7' with a dot.
- Semiquaver rest (sixteenth rest) is similar but has two arms.
- Minim rest (half rest) is a black rectangle sitting on the middle staff line.
- Semibreve rest (whole rest or bar rest) is a black rectangle hanging from the fourth staff line.
- Dotted rests add half the original rest value to itself (e.g., dotted minim rest equals 3 beats).
- Dots can also be added to other rest symbols, following the same rule as dotted notes.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Beaming — Joining note stems/tails together to group quavers and semiquavers.
- Dotted Note — A note with a dot that adds half of its value to itself.
- Rest — A symbol indicating silence for the length of a specific note value.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Memorize note names, values, and rest symbols.
- Practice drawing notes and rests with correct stems, tails, and beams.
- Create a pyramid diagram to visualize how notes divide into smaller values.