Note lengths
In 4/4 and 3/4 time a quarter note lasts one beat, a half note two, a dotted half note three and a whole note four, and two eighth notes share one beat. Count aloud, steadily, and hold each note for its full length.
In 4/4 and 3/4 time a quarter note lasts one beat, a half note two beats, a dotted half note three and a whole note four. Two eighth notes share one beat. Count aloud, keep the count steady, and hold each note for its whole length.
The note values
| Note | British name | What it looks like | Beats (in 4/4 or 3/4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole note | Semibreve | Open head, no stem | 4 |
| Dotted half note | Dotted minim | Open head, stem, and a dot | 3 |
| Half note | Minim | Open head with a stem | 2 |
| Quarter note | Crotchet | Filled head with a stem | 1 |
| Eighth note | Quaver | Filled head, stem and a flag (or joined by a beam) | ½ |
Each value is half the one above it (apart from the dotted half): a whole note equals two halves, a half equals two quarters, a quarter equals two eighths.
The dot
A dot after a note adds half as much again. A half note is two beats; a dotted half is two plus one, three beats. It is the note that fills a whole bar of 3/4. A dotted quarter is one and a half beats, usually followed by an eighth to make up the second beat.
Time signatures
The two numbers at the start of the music are the time signature:
- 4/4: four quarter-note beats in each bar. The most common time. Sometimes written as a C.
- 3/4: three quarter-note beats in each bar: waltzes, minuets, Amazing Grace.
The top number says how many beats are in a bar; the bottom number 4 says each beat is a quarter note. Rests and 3/4 time.
How to count
- Count out loud, steadily: "1 2 3 4". Say every number, even while a long note is sounding.
- Play on the number where the note starts, and hold through the numbers it lasts. A half note on 1 lasts through "1 2"; you let go as you reach 3.
- Eighth notes: "1 and 2 and". The first of each pair is on the number, the second on the "and".
- Tap the beat with a foot, or with the other hand, while you play.
Common mistakes
- Shortening the long notes. Half and whole notes are the easiest to cut short. Keep counting while they sound.
- Letting the beat drift. Everything is measured against the beat, so it has to stay even. Slow and steady beats fast and uneven.
- Counting a 3/4 bar as four. The dotted half, filling a whole bar, is the tell.
- Holding the note but not the count. Holding a key is only half of it. Count through it.
How to practise
- Tap rhythms on one key before adding the notes: quarters, then halves, then wholes.
- Clap and count a line of a song away from the piano.
- Hear it, tap it back. Have someone tap a short rhythm, then tap it back.
- Use a slow metronome and play a tune you know in time.
How Octotune helps
In Octotune, a long note has to be held: a green fill rises up the key for the note's written length, and the music moves on when it has lasted long enough. Let go early and the coach says how long the note should have been.
Unit 7 of the adult path is all about rhythm: quarter, half and whole notes, then rests, then 3/4 and the dotted half, then eighths, each tapped on one key before you play songs in time for the first time. In Kids mode, notes "walk" and "wait". Open Octotune.
Next: Rests and 3/4 time.
Questions
How many beats is a dotted half note?
Three, in 4/4 and 3/4 time. A half note is two beats, and the dot adds half as much again: two plus one.
How many beats is a whole note?
Four, in 4/4 time: it fills the whole bar. It is an open note head with no stem.
What is the difference between a quarter note and a crotchet?
None. Quarter note is the American name, crotchet the British one. A half note is a minim, a whole note a semibreve, and an eighth note a quaver.
How do you count eighth notes?
Two to a beat: count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and, with the numbers on the beat and the 'and' halfway between.