One Purpose of Music Notation

[Jwalkin]

One Purpose of Music Notation is to communicate rhythm.

Available are songbooks with music notation and tablature to be used in tandem. Tablature (TAB) communicates fretboard note locations, whereas Music Notation also provides information on time and rhythm about the piece of music.

Having information about time and rhythm is helpful if you have not seen the music played by an artist, or a recorded version of the song is not available.

First look at the Time Signature

Usually a fraction is shown at the beginning of a piece of music. The fraction denotes the time signature; the top number of the fraction is the number of beats in each measure; the bottom number of the fraction is the rhythmic value of each beat*

*Rhythmic value (duration of a note):

Whole notes are held 4 beats (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +)

Half notes are held 2 beats (1 + 2 +)

Quarter notes are held 1 beat (1 +)

Eight notes include the ‘and’ (+) beat

Sixteen notes counted as 1 ee + a, 2 ee + a, 3 ee + a, 4 ee + a

Refer to the attachment ‘Note Value’

While looking at music notation symbols the duration of a note is determined by three things:

1. The note head
2. Stem
3. And Flag.

Referring to attachments, notice the Flag off of the note stem, when multiple notes are tied together in a run, train your eye to distinguish between single flag line (1/8th eighth note run) and double flag line (1/16th sixteenth note run).

Find the Groove

Whenever you have not heard a piece of music played before, but you have the music notation that provides Time and Rhythm about the piece. Read along the music notation to understand note duration, and then tap the rhythmic value of the notes as written in the music staff.