How to read sheet music… The basics of counting rhythms.
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How To Read Sheet Music…
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Introduction: There are two basic aspects of reading music. First, rhythms- how the notes of the melody fit within time, and second, pitch- how high or low these rhythmic notes are. The first part of this tutorial will cover rhythms.
Chapter One : Understanding the Basics of Counting Rhythms
The first step in understanding rhythms is to memorize the various notes and their ‘values.’ You don’t need to understand them now, but for information’s sake, look over the five most commonly used notes:
It’s confusing to think of something being an eighth of a beat, and you may wonder why a note that is one beat long is called a quarter note. Why wouldn’t it be called a whole note, since it’s a whole beat?
It’s because we name our notes based on the length of time they are played within a measure, not based on how many beats they are.
I often tell my students to think of a measure as a whole pie, in that it can be cut into quarters (4 pieces), eighths (8 pieces), and so on. A whole note is called a whole note because it is played and held for a whole measure. A quarter note is called a quarter note because a full quarter note takes up exactly one quarter of a measure.
I know what you’re saying. “Yuck! Fractions!” To this, I hang my head sadly and nod. You’re absolutely right. But I’m not going to make you add fractions, or anything like that. If you get the pie illustration, then you’re set.
Now that we understand why the notes are named the way they are, let’s look at the chart again:
Dividing a measure up into eighths and sixteenths on the fly while playing would be difficult, especially with complicated rhythms, so this is useful mostly as an understanding of the basics. The next step to take is to actually count through the rhythms.
Counting Through The Rhythms
As evenly as you can, count to 4 like this: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4, 1 – 2 – 3 – 4. Repeat the counting over and over again. Try to make sure each number is evenly spaced. Don’t count like this: 1… 2… 3 4… or any other jilted time. It doesn’t matter how fast you count, but keep the numbers evenly spaced.
You are counting 4 beats in a measure, so each number is the value of a quarter note! Congratulations!
Now, while counting, clap your hands only when you say “1.” Hold your hands together to simulate holding the note until you have said 4, then clap again on 1. You are now “playing” a whole note!
FYI: We’re going to use hand claps as our “instrument.” If you’re in a place where it’s conspicuous to clap your hands, then tap a toe or a finger tip.
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