Hello and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman.
Today we're learning a new more advanced
method for counting the beat while reading rhythms.
Once you know this more advanced method, you'll be ready for today's rhythm challenge.
So let's come to the heartbeat mat to get started.
You're already familiar with
the fact that quarter notes each take up one full beat.
TA TA TA TA
But eighth notes can fit two inside 1 beat.
They share the beat. TI-TI TI-TI TI-TI TI-TI
Now, let's learn a more advanced method for counting the beat
called counting a subdivided beat.
In music, subdividing a beat means to split
it into equal parts.
For example, eighth notes subdivide a
beat in two equal parts.
And sixteenth notes subdivide a beat into four equal
parts.
Well, today we're going to subdivide each beat into two equal parts like this:
Let's also give ourselves a 4/4 time signature
which means we'll
count each beat up to 4, then we'll need a bar line.
And then we count again starting at 1
So before we would count the beats like this: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
But now that we're subdividing the beat, we're going to call the first half of the beat by the beat number 1,
and then the second half of
the beat we're going to say &
for each second half like this: 1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Can you try that with me?
Let's point to each beat,
and we'll say the beat number when we're on the first half of the beat, and then we'll say & for the other half.
Ready, go:
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Correct!
Now let's try counting the subdivided beat while we clap this rhythm.
You'll notice that I replaced the bar line here with a repeat sign which means once we get
done with beat 4 we'll go back to beat 1 and do it one
more time.
Let me demonstrate what this would sound like once.
While counting the beat out loud we clap.
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Now will you try it with me?
Clap while you count the subdivided beat out loud.
Ready, go: 1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Great let's try another one.
Okay I'll demonstrate it once and then
you can try it with me.
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Ready to try it with me?
Good! This time to cue us when to start,
I'm going to use our time signature. Since we have 4 beats I'll count 1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
and then we begin.
In fact why don't you count it with me? So we call that an empty measure
that we count before we begin.
Here's the empty measure, count it with me.
Go: 1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Good. You're counting a subdivided beat. Let's
try another one.
This time we have a half note. Remember half notes take up 2 full beats.
So with our subdivided beat it would take up 1-& 2-& and then we keep going on 3-& 4-&
A quarter note takes up the first half of
a beat and the second half of a beat.
Takes up the 4 and the &.
I'll try it once by myself then you can join me.
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Now try it with me.
Count our empty measure
and then we start.
Go: 1-& 2-& 3-& 4-go
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Great!
Now here's a new one for you.
Remember that when we draw two eighth notes with flags it makes the exact same sound
as if we were to draw them this way.
Two eighth notes with a beam, two eighth notes with a flag. They sound identical TI-TI or 1-&
So this rhythm would be 1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
When you have a rest and you're counting the beat, you still count it.
Remember this beat is still there 2-&,
there just happens to be silence during that beat.
So we won't clap, but we'll still count the beat to show that it's still taking up time in the music.
So count out loud with me while we clap. Here's the empty measure:
Ready, go: 1-& 2-& 3-& 4-go
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Now let's add a new kind of rest.
It's called an eighth rest, and it looks like this.
It takes up half of a beat just like an eighth note does.
In fact, if you were to add two eighth rests together it would equal
a quarter rest.
So this quarter rest makes the same sound
as two eighth rests. A full beat of silence.
For fun let's change our time signature now to 2/4,
which tells us we'll have 2 quarter note beats in each measure.
Which means we'll need another bar line here,
and here.
Now ...