6.1 Notes, rests and accidentals

In this chapter you will learn about double sharps and double flats. You will also learn about the thirty-second note and rest and about the dotted whole note and dotted sixteenth note. Further, you’ll have aan excercise to learn how to recognize rhythms.

1. Double sharp and double flat

This chapter provides an overview of the main theory from Note Reading chapter 6. Accidentals, where you learn about double sharps and double flats.

	double sharp	raises a note two half steps.
	double flat	lowers a note two half steps.

Theory and practise

Learn more about double sharps and double flats and practise their names in Note Reading chapter 6. Accidentals.

2. Thirty-second note and rest

	thirty-second note	note played for half the value of a sixteenth note; four thirty-second notes have the same duration as one eighth note.
	thirty-second rest	rest played for half the value of a sixteenth rest; four thirty-second rests have the same duration as one eighth rest.

3. Dotted whole note and dotted sixteenth note

	dotted whole note	whole note increased by a half note; note played for the value of three half notes.
	dotted sixteenth note	sixteenth note increased by a thirty-second note; note played for the value of three thirty-second notes.

4. Ear training

The exercise recognizing rhythm is a preparatory exercise for Chapter 6.25 Rhythmic dictation.

The purpose of this exercise is to learn to hear the difference between two differently notated rhythms. The difference between these two rhythms concerns only one note.

Practise

Ear Training exercise 6d: the played rhythm is notated twice. Choose the right rhythm.

Example question

The next rhythm is being played:

Choose which rhythm you hear.

Choise 1:

Choise 2:

Practical steps

The rhythm is notated in a two-four meter. The difference between the first and second rhythm is the second beat in the first measure:

1. in the first rhythm, an eight note and four thirty-second notes are being played.
2. in the second rhythm, four thirty-second notes and an eight note are being played.

Clap or tap the two notated rhythms to train your inner hearing abilties. Then play the rhythm and try to hear whether in the second beat in the first measure

1. an eight note and four thirty-second notes are being played (choise 1) or
2. four thirty-second notes and an eight note are being played (choise 2).

Answer: choice 2.