Rhythm & Time
Music exists in time. This week you will learn how rhythm is organized: note values, rests, time signatures, and how to keep a steady beat using the metronome.
Learning Goals
Lesson Content
Note Values
Each note shape tells you how long to hold the sound relative to other notes:
- Whole note — 4 beats
- Half note — 2 beats
- Quarter note — 1 beat
- Eighth note — 1/2 beat
- Sixteenth note — 1/4 beat
Each rest symbol has a matching duration of silence.
Time Signatures
The time signature appears at the start of a piece. The top number tells you how many beats per measure; the bottom number tells you which note value gets one beat.
- 4/4 (Common Time) — 4 quarter-note beats per measure
- 3/4 (Waltz Time) — 3 quarter-note beats per measure
- 2/4 — 2 quarter-note beats per measure (march feel)
Counting and Subdivisions
Count quarter notes as "1, 2, 3, 4." Eighth notes are counted "1-and, 2-and, 3-and, 4-and." Subdividing helps you keep complex rhythms steady.
Practice Activities
Activity 1: Metronome Clapping
Set the Metronome to 80 BPM. Clap on every beat (quarter notes). Then try clapping only on beats 1 and 3 (half notes). Finally, clap twice per beat (eighth notes).
Activity 2: Play in Time
With the metronome at 72 BPM, play the C major scale (C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C) on the Synthesizer, one note per beat. Then try two notes per beat (eighth notes). Staying perfectly in time is harder than it sounds!
Activity 3: Note Reading Review
Keep your note reading sharp! Spend 5 minutes on the Note Reading game using Both clefs in C Major. Try to beat your previous best streak.
Activity 4: Duration Hearing Drill
Now that you know note values, test your ears! Open the Duration Hearing game on Beginner and practice identifying whole, half, quarter, and eighth note durations by listening.
Activity 5: Duration Reading Drill
Test your visual recognition of note and rest symbols! Open the Duration Reading game on Beginner and practice identifying whole, half, and quarter notes and rests by sight.