Notation

























Rhythm

Notation must identify the beat of the music as well as the pitch. The rhythmic component of notation shows how long one tone lasts in relation to others in the same piece. A single note on the staff lasts longer or shorter depending on how it looks on the staff — on whether it is white or black and has a stem or flag.

To lengthen the duration of a note by half its original value,a dot is added to the right of a note, thereby creating a "dotted note." A tie is another way to lengthen the duration of a note. When two notes in a row are the same pitch and are connected by a tie, the first note is lengthened by the duration of the second. Length of silence is shown by a symbol called a “rest” — their duration corresponds to those of notes.
 

Choose a tab on the left. In Notes, Rests, and Dotted Notesox, click the boxes to get more information. In Duration and Ties, click Play to hear examples.