Reading Rhythm in Music

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Reading Rhythm in Music

Timings, Tuplets, and More

Checklist

• Note Values
• Flags and Beams
• Ties
• Other symbols
• Tuplets
• Quiz

Note Values

Notes can be broken down into smaller subdivisions, starting with a whole note. Each step down is half as long and twice as fast. Each note type's name is based off of how many it takes to make a whole note, like 4 quarter notes or 16 16th notes. In most music the whole note is worth 4 beats, so a half note is worth 2, a quarter note is worth 1, and an 8th note is worth 1/2.

Note Durations

= 4 Beats = 2 Beats = 1 Beat = 1/2 Beat = 1/4 Beat

Flags & Beams

Beam

Flag

For every flag or beam you add, the length of the note is halved. Beams are connected flags between notes.

Rests

Every note value has a rest equivalent to dictate time when not to play. Just like with normal notes, increasing the amount of flags halves the length of a rest.

Note Ties

Ties connect notes and add together their durations. In this example a half note worth 2 beats connects to a quarter note worth 1, leading to a tied note with a duration of 3 beats.

Dots, Fermatas, and Caesuras

Dots extend the note by 1/2 of its original value.

Fermatas extend the length by a longer undefined amount.

Caesuras call for a complete pause in the music for a time.

Tuplets

Tuplets are subdivisions that change the amount of notes in a given space. By default they put the notes in the space of 2 others. The most common example is the triplet, which puts 3 notes in the space of 2. It is shown above. These are 8th note triplets, so these 3 fit in the space of 2 8th notes.

Tuplet Types

Simple - shows a number above to indicate tuplet

Bracketed - Uses a bracket to show the group of notes

Ratios - Tells the ratio for less regular groupings

Nested Tuplets - Tuplets can sit within other tuplets

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Quiz

Answer the questions to the best of your ability. You may return to previous pages if neccesary. Be sure you've read the content of the sub-windows.

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Common tuplets will often be shown with just a number above the group of notes. You can tell which notes are in the group because they are connected by a beam.

Ratio tuplets are most often used when puting notes into a space other than a multiple of 2. In this example we wanted to put 5 notes in the space of 3, so a ratio was needed. The first number tells how many notes, and the second is what space they fit in. 5 notes in 3 8th notes.

Nested tuplets are merely tuplets within other tuplets. They follow all the same rules as normal tuplets. In this example 3 16th note triplets (you can tell because of the 2 beams) fit in the space of what would be 2 16th note triplets.

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Often tuplets are enclosed by a bracket. This is important when the tuplet is uncommon, has non uniform rhythms, or has rests that keep the beams from connected into one mass.

Dots are attached to the right of a note and extend its duration by half of its original value. Adding further dots add half the value of the previous dot, so a second dot adds an additional quarter of the orginal duration, totaling at an addition of 3/4.

Fermatas are displayed above or below a note and extend the note by an undefined amount of time. This amount of time is left to the feel of the individual keeping time.

A caesura is like a fermata, but is not attached to a note and indicates a complete pause. The length of time is also undefined, but is typically shorter. Sometimes a fermata can be used on a caesura to indicate a longer pause.