Reading Music 9 QUAVERS Quavers Tapping the Beats Grouping of Quavers Staccato marks Quiz - Quiz Answers Exercises Song - 'Easy does it' Lesson Material RM Main Page - Links to Jazclass Music Reading Course Complete Music Notation Overview : Basic Theory 1 - Basic Theory 2
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RM 9.1 - Quavers

The value of a quaver is one eighth of a semibreve (whole note), or half of a crotchet.

Audio 9.1

A quaver is printed with a black note head, a stem and a tail. The tail is always at the right side of the stem, regardless whether the stem is pointing up or down.

Audio 9.2

For ease of reading groups of quavers usually have their tails attached as a beam.

All beamed quavers are drawn with their stems in the same direction, either up or down.

In the first bar (above) most quavers are below the middle line. Their stems are therefore pointing up.
In the third bar (above) most quavers are on or above the middle line. Their stems are therefore pointing down.

Quaver names in other languages :

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(Down - Up - Top)

RM 9.2 - Tapping the Beats

In ⁴/₄ and ³/₄ time the length of a quaver is half a beat.

Beats are therefore divided into half beats.

The first half of each beat is called the down beat.

The second half of each beat is called the up beat or off beat.

Audio 9.3

When tapping the beat with your foot :

• the down beat is when your toes touch the ground

• the up beat is when your toes are up in the air.

Tapping the beat with two feet goes like this :

Audio 9.3

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(Down - Up - Top)

RM 9.3 - Quaver Groupings

Quavers are as much as possible grouped to show the beats in the bar.

Exceptions :

• In 4/4 time four quavers may be joined if they occur on beats 1 and 2, or on beats 3 and 4.

• In 3/4 time six quavers may be joined to span the entire bar.
  But two or four quavers should be grouped in twos to show each beat.

In 4/4 time a beam should not span across the middle point of the bar.

Crotchet rests should not span across any down beat point in a bar. Quaver rests are used to fill each full beat.

Here are some 1 bar long rhythm patterns including quavers for songs in ⁴/₄ time.

Audio 9.4
(The rhythm of each bar is played 4 times before moving to the next bar.)

Here are some 1 bar long rhythm patterns including quavers for songs in ³/₄ time.

Audio 9.5
(The rhythm of each bar is played 4 times before moving to the next bar.)

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(Down - Up - Top)

RM 9.4 - Staccato marks

When a dot is placed under or over a note it indicates that the note is to sound short and detached from other notes.
Wind instrument players articulate staccato notes with their tongue like saying the word "dat".

Audio 9.6

Do not confuse the staccato mark with the dots placed behind a note (like the dotted minims above). They are two entirely different things.

RM 9.5 - Quiz

1. How many quavers are there in a minim (half note) ?
   
   
2. What is the difference in appearance between a crotchet and a quaver ?
   
   
3. On which side of the stem is the tail of a quaver always drawn ?
   
   
4. In 4/4 time - How are the tails joined of 4 quavers occurring on beats 3 + 4 + ?
   
   
5. In 4/4 time - How are the tails joined of 4 quavers occurring on beats 2 + 3 + ?
   
   
6. In 4/4 time - How are the tails joined of 6 quavers occurring on beats 1 + 2 + 3 + ?
   
   
7. In 3/4 time - How are the tails joined of 6 quavers in one bar ?
   
   
8. In 3/4 time - How are the tails joined of 4 quavers occurring on beats 1 + 2 + ?
   
   
9. What is a staccato mark ?
   
   
10. When a note is on a line - Where are all notes that form odd numbered intervals with it ?
    (For example going upwards : low E with G or B or D or F - etc.)
    
    
11. When a note is on a line - Where are all notes that form even numbered intervals with it ?
    (For example going upwards : low E with F or A or C or E - etc.)
    
    
12. When a note is on a line - Where is the nearest note with the same letter name (up or down) ?

RM 9.6 - Exercises

Exercise 9.1

While tapping the beat with your foot : play or sing the rhythm patterns in Rhythm Patterns 1.
First play each bar 4 times, then move to the next bar.
Then play the whole exercise right through from beginning to end. First use the one note only (A), when confident play different notes of your own choice.

Exercise 9.2

Draw the note stems and beams of all quavers in Exercise 9.2.

Tap the beat with your foot (or feet) while clapping (or calling out) each note in the exercises at their correct starting points.

Play Exercise 9.2 on your instrument at your own pace, while tapping the beats with your foot (or feet) and counting them (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +) in your mind. (Notation for BASS CLEF players)

Play Exercise 9.2 on your instrument using a metronome, while tapping the beats with your foot (or feet) and counting them (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +) in your mind. (Notation for BASS CLEF players)
ANSWERS to Exercise 9.2

Exercise 9.3

Draw all bar lines at their correct positions in Exercise 9.3.

Tap the beat with your foot (or feet) while clapping (or calling out) each note in the exercises at their correct starting points.

Play Exercise 9.3 on your instrument at your own pace, while tapping the beats with your foot (or feet) and counting them in your mind. (Notation for BASS CLEF players)

Play Exercise 9.3 on your instrument using a metronome, while tapping the beats with your foot (or feet) and counting them in your mind. (Notation for BASS CLEF players)
ANSWERS to Exercise 9.3

RM 9.7 - Song : Easy does it

Easy Does It features repeat signs with 1st time and 2nd time bars.

Below the first part of the song.
Start by playing the first two lines (follow the pink line) up to the repeat sign.
Then return to the beginning, playing the first line again, skip the music within the 1st time box (the whole second line of music) and go directly to the 2nd time bars (follow the green line).

Audio 9.7

The second part of Easy Does It is played the same way.
Follow the green line to the second repeat.
Then return to the repeat sign (not to the beginning of the piece !), and follow the purple line, skipping the second lot of 1st time bars, straight to the 2nd time bars and on to the end of the song.

Audio 9.8

RM 9.8 - Lesson Materials