Understanding Rhythm &

Rhythmic Notation

The Beat

• Time based• Steady recurring pulse

Beats

• Top Number = how many beats in a bar• Bottom Number = what note gets the beat• Beats also called rhythms

Bars (aka measures)

• Beats are grouped in bars (or measures)• Beat one always marks beginning of bar • Any number of beats can be grouped in a

bar

Barlines

• divide beats into groupings• SPACE between 2 barlines is the

measure (aka Bar )

Rhythms

• Based on fractions- if you can share a pizza you can understand rhythm

• Rhythmic terminology based on a 4/4 bar– 4 beats in the bar, ¼ note gets the beat

RHYTHM DURATIONSone measure in 4/4 time

1 e & a 3 e & a2 e & a 4 e & a

Music Notation (Music Symbols)

Whole Note & Whole Rest

• Note – lasts for 4 beats

• Rest – nothing for 4 beats

Half Note & Half Rest

• A half note lasts for 2 beats – A stem is added to the

hollow circle to form the half note symbol.

• A half rest lasts for two 2 beats. – This means you don’t play

for two beats.

Quarter Note & Quarter Rest• A quarter note lasts for 1

beat – The quarter note looks like a

half note with the notehead filled in.

• A quarter rest lasts for 1 beat. – This means don’t play for one

beat. The quarter rest looks sideways seagull

8th Note & 8th Rests

• An eighth note lasts for half of a beat – The eighth note looks like

the quarter note with a flag attached to the stem.

• An eighth note rest lasts for half of a beat. – The eighth note rest looks

like a slash with a flag on it.

16th Notes and Rests

• Rhythms can be subdivided further by adding more flags to the note or rest.  – Sixteenths have two flags. 32nd notes have 3

flags, and so on. In most music you won’t see note values much smaller than 16ths.

Bars/Measures in Reason

One Measure

Two Measures

First measure: Steps 1-16

Second measure: Steps 17-32

Bass Drum ¼ notes

High Hat 1/16ths

High Hat 1/8ths

Drum Staff