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Learn to read music notes, chords and rhythm quickly and
easily with Play Piano Now! Written by a fun veteran piano teacher, this
complete audio instructed CD and Book is the sure path to piano learning
and enjoyment for the adult beginner. Music
Learning Resources for New Musicians of All Ages
http://www.MakingMusicNow.com |
MUSIC MINI COURSE
by Jan Durrant
Welcome back to Chapter 4 of your Free Music eCourse. Today we will be
learning about the Basics of Rhythm and Melody. All of the music notation
and music symbols will be represented in plain text in the chapter due to
the graphics limitation of most browsers.
Please continue your musical journey and enjoy the information in your
Free Music eCourse. You can always access additional and more in-depth
information at
http://www.MakingMusicNow.com
Musical Regards,
Jan Durrant
Publisher
http://www.MakingMusicNow.com
Teacher@MakingMusicNow.com
CHAPTER 4: BASICS OF RHYTHM AND MELODY
WHAT DOES A QUARTER REST LOOK LIKE?
Both the Quarter Note and the Quarter Rest get one beat. The Quarter Note
has a filled in note head and a stem. The Quarter Rest is a vertical
musical symbol which resembles a 'W' turned on its side.
The Quarter note symbol stands for a note that is played for the length
of one beat. In other words, play any key on your instrument right now and
simply hold it down while you say 'one'. It is what we would call a short
note.
The Quarter rest is a musical symbol which stands for one beat of
silence.
In other words, beats of silence in music are counted just like beats of
sound. The only difference between these two musical symbols is that there
is complete sound for one beat during a Quarter Note and complete silence
for one beat during a Quarter rest in music. Start off your experience in
rhythm by simply clapping the rhythm pattern of quarter notes and quarter
rests in the following exercise. Make sure that when you say 'one' you ARE
clapping both hands together on that beat and when you say 'rest' you are
holding your hands apart on that beat. BE SURE TO SPEAK THE WORDS 'QUARTER
NOTE' AND 'QUARTER REST' AS YOU CLAP OR MOVE YOUR HANDS APART ON EACH BEAT.
'QN' - stands for Quarter Note
'QR' - stands for Quarter Rest
FIRST RHYTHM EXERCISE:
QN-QN-QN-QN/QN-QR-QN-QR/QN-QN-QN-QN/QR-QN-QR-QN/
WHAT IS A MELODY?
A melody is nothing more than a string of notes played one after the
other to create a tune or melody. How many times have you asked someone how
a tune goes? Please whistle that tune for me.........Well, that, my friend,
is a melody.
When you first sat down at a piano or keyboard and tried to pick out the
correct sequence of keys to your favorite melody, you were
actually playing short melodies or tunes. Go to your instrument now and use
the information you have learned today about Quarter Notes and Quarter Rests
and make up a new melody all your own.
CHAPTER 5: HARMONY AND CHORDS
This chapter will
talk about the definition of harmony, chords and includes a chord exercise.
Enjoy learning or reviewing.
WHAT IS HARMONY?
Harmony is simply defined as notes, chords or other arrangements of notes
that accompany a melody to make a fully developed piece of music. If one
person sings a vocal solo, that would be a melody. Two people singing
together is called a duet. When the second person sings different notes than
the first person, that would be creating harmony with the melody. So it is
in any other musical ensemble. The melody is the part of the music that we
remember the most and even sing to ourselves later.
One of the most basic forms of harmony in piano music is the chord. A chord
consists of two or more notes played together in either hand which can
create harmony when played along with any given melody. You will notice that
either hand can play the harmony, just as either hand can play the melody.
In the Challenge Pieces Section of Play Piano Now (www.MakingMusicNow.com)
is a piece entitled
‘Moonlight Melody'. The melody starts out in the right hand, then goes
to the left hand in the middle section and, finally, ends up in the right
hand again to end the piece.
CHORDS
A chord is defined as two or more notes from a scale played together at the
same time. Chords may be played in either blocked chord form or broken chord
form. A blocked chord simply means that two or more notes are played at the
same time. A broken chord is created when that blocked chord is just played
one note after the other in sequence.
The first chord we will study is the C Major chord. The notes of the C Major
chord are C, E and G. Try this C Major Chord Exercise by placing fingers 1,
3 and 5 of each hand down on your desk or table top right now(remember that
the thumb is finger number 1, the middle finger is number 3 and proceed to
the pinky finger which is finger number 5). Press down all three fingers
(1,3 and 5) at the same time. You have just played the C Major BLOCKED
chord. Use this same table top method right now and similarly press down
each finger 1,3 and 5 in sequence (one after the other) to create a BROKEN
chord.
SPECIAL TIP** Remember, a chord with stems up means the right hand is
playing and a chord with stems down means the left hand is playing the
chord.
Please practice this C Major Chord Exercise with Right Hand Only:
'QR' - stands for Quarter Rest or one beat of silence
'Ch' - stands for the C Major Chord.
(Again, use your table top and press down 1,3,5 together for 'Ch'. Say
'Chord' each time you press down your fingers on the table top. Also, when
you come to the 'Qr' symbol simply lift your hand off of the table top and
say 'Rest')
Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch/Ch-Qr-Ch-Qr/Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch/Ch-Qr-Ch-Qr
If you have an interest in pursuing more learning about Rhythm Exercises
please go to the link below to find Play Piano Now piano course and CD with
complete instructions and audio recordings.
Look for Chapter 6 of the Free Music eCourse next!
Happy Music Making,
Jan Durrant
Publisher
http://www.MakingMusicNow.com
Teacher@MakingMusicNow.com
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