5 Note Values

I. Word List

a. General Words

Attach /@"tatS/ (v)

fasten; connect; add
- I attached the file to the e-mail.

Consistent /k@n"sIst(@)nt/ (adj)

steady; constant; unchanging over time
- Customers expect that the quality of service they receive will be
consistent.

Equivalent /I"kwIv(@)l(@)nt/ (n, adj)

equal; corresponding
- I haven't taken that course, but I took an equivalent course at another
university.

Occupy /"QkjUpVI/ (v)

live in; reside in; inhabit; fill
- They have occupied the apartment for three years.

Repetitive /rI"pEtItIv/ (adj)

recursive; cyclic; recurring
- She left the job because the work was too repetitive.

Underlying /Vnd@"lVIIN/ (adj)

fundamental; basic

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- The book was mainly about the underlying differences between
democracy and dictatorship.

b. Technical Terms

Bar /bA:/ (n)

a subdivision of time in music; one measure of a
piece of music

Bar line /bA: lVIn/ (n)

a vertical line that divides measures of music

===¨==
Beat /bi:t / (n)
a basic unit of measurement of musical time,
expressed as a certain number of beats in the bar

Eighth note /eItT n@Ut/ (n)

a note of one half a beat; equal to one eighth of a
whole note; a quaver

===G===
Eighth rest /eItT rEst/ (n)
a silence of one half a beat; equivalent rest for
the eighth note

===9===
Half note /hA:f n@Ut/ (n)
a note of two beats long; equal to half a whole
note; a minim

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 ===g===
Half rest /hA:f rEst/ (n)
a silence of two beats; equivalent rest for the half
note

===;===
Metre /"mi:t@/ (n) (also Meter)
the rhythm of music; the rhythmic pattern of
beats

Quarter note /"kwO:t@ n@Ut/ (n)

a note of one beat long; equal to one fourth of a
whole note; a crotchet

===W===
Quarter rest /"kwO:t@ rEst/ (n)
a silence of one beat; equivalent rest for the
quarter note

===:===
Rest /rEst/ (n)
a period of silence of a specific duration

Sixteenth note /sIks"ti:nT n@Ut/ (n)

a note of one fourth of a beat; equal to one
sixteenth of a whole note; a semiquaver

===G===

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Sixteenth rest /sIks"ti:nT rEst/ (n)
a silence of one fourth of a beat; equivalent rest
for the sixteenth note

===8===
Triplet /"trIplIt/ (n)
a group of three notes to be played in the time of
two of the same time value

Value /"valju:/ (n)

the relative length or duration of a musical note

Whole note /h@Ul n@Ut/ (n)

a note of four beats long; a note lasting for a
whole measure (bar) with a time signature of
four/four; a semibreve

===w===
Whole rest /h@Ul rEst/ (n)
a silence of four beats; equivalent rest for the
whole note

===<===

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II. Vocabulary Practice

a. Match the words with their definitions.

____ 1. bar a. the length or duration of a musical note

____ 2. underlying b. a period of silence of a specific duration

____ 3. metre c. equal; corresponding

d. a subdivision of time in music; one measure

____ 4. occupy
of a piece of music
____ 5. beat e. a note of one beat long; equal to one fourth
____ 6. value of a whole note

f. recurring; cyclic
____ 7. equivalent
g. steady; constant
____ 8. rest
h. fill; live in
____ 9. repetitive
i. the rhythm of music; the rhythmic pattern of
____ 10. quarter note beats

____ 11. consistent j. fundamental; basic

____ 12. whole note k. a note of four beats long

l. a basic unit of measurement of musical time

b. Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the list.

triplet half rest beat eighth note equivalent value

whole bar line

1. A ____________ shows the beginning and the end of each measure.

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2. The ____________ can be described as a subdivision of musical time
that is felt as the pulse within a piece of music.

3. The note that receives one half of a beat is the ____________.

4. A sixteenth rest means a silence of one fourth of a beat. It is the

____________ rest for the sixteenth note.

5. A ____________ can be described as a group of three notes played in

the time of two notes.

6. The ____________ symbol indicates silence for two beats.

7. The note ____________ tells us about the length or duration of a

musical note.

8. A quarter note is a note of one beat long. It equals to one fourth

of a ____________ note.

c. Synonyms: choose the word that means the same as the given word.

1. attach
a. put b. connect
c. carry d. take

2. quarter
a. half b. one fourth
c. one eighth d. whole

3. equivalent
a. different b. other
c. corresponding d. unlike

4. occupy
a. perform b. bring
c. find d. fill

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d. Choose the symbol that represents the given word.

1. quarter rest

a. =; b. =9= c. =:= d. =8=

2. eighth note

a. =G= b. =G= c. =W= d. =g=

3. whole rest

a. =9= b. =:= c. =; d. =<

III. Reading Passage

Note Values

I
n order to actually perform a piece of music, it is essential to arrange
the notes in the context of time; that is, it is necessary to know when
and for how long to play them. This brings us to the topic of rhythm, or
how pitches are placed in time.
Ordinary clock time is divided into various units of measure, of which
the smallest is one second. Musical time is also divided into units of
measure, of which the smallest is the beat, the underlying regular rhythm
of a piece of music. Just as seconds are grouped into minutes, repetitive
patterns of strong (accented) and weak (unaccented) beats form the meter,
or overall rhythmic feeling, of a piece of music. The meter usually consists
of groups of 2, 3, or 4 beats, with the first beat of each group being the
strongest, and this pattern usually stays the same throughout a piece of
music in order to provide a consistent backdrop for the melody and
harmony.

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 To notate rhythms on the staff, groups of beats are set apart from each
other by vertical lines called bar lines, drawn in front of the first beat of
each group. The spaces between the lines are called measures, or bars.

==¨=========´¨=========´==
Within the context of the meter, the duration of each individual pitch is
indicated by means of two sets of symbols: symbols for sounds (notes) and
symbols for silence (rests). The duration of notes and rests are most easily
understood in relation to the most common metric grouping, four beats in a
measure.
A note that occupies a whole measure of four beats is called a whole
note. It looks like an empty oval resting on its side. Its equivalent rest is
the whole rest, which is suspended from the fourth line of the staff.

=&====w====´====<=======
A note that lasts for half of a measure, or two beats, is called a half note.
The half note looks like a whole note but with the addition of a stem (a
vertical line) attached to the note head. If the pitch of the note is on the
middle line of the staff or above, the stem is attached to the left side of the
note head, pointing own. If the pitch of the note is below the middle line,
the stem is attached to the right side of the note head, pointing up. The
equivalent rest, the half rest, sits on the third line.

=&====i====g==´===;===;===
A note that lasts for one fourth of a measure, or one beat, is called a
quarter note. The quarter note looks like a filled-in half note. The
equivalent rest, the quarter rest, is drawn as shown.

=&===Y==Y==W==W=´===:==:==:==:==

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Just as seconds in ordinary time may be divided into fractions for more
precise measurement, beats may also be divided into smaller units of
musical time to accurately represent rhythms smaller than the quarter note.
A note that lasts for one half of a beat is called an eighth note (it is one
eighth of a measure). The eighth note is the same as a quarter note but with
a flag attached to the stem, which is always on the right side regardless of
stem direction. Generally, when two, three, or four eighth notes occur next
to one another, they are connected together by means of a beam (a
horizontal line), which reduces the clutter of separate flags. The equivalent
rest, the eighth rest, also has a single flag, which is drawn in the third
space as shown. Eighth rests are not beamed. As a rule, we use a single
larger rest rather than a group of small rests.

=&===I==I==G==G==É==Æ=='=9==9==9==9==9==9==9==9==
The smallest common note value lasts for one fourth of a beat and is called
a sixteenth note. It is the same as an eighth note but with two flags
attached. When two or more sixteenth notes occur within a single beat,
they are connected by a double beam. The equivalent rest, the sixteenth
rest, also has two flags, which are drawn in the second and third spaces of
the staff.

=&===J==J==G==G===É==Æ=='=8==8==8==8==8==8==8==8==
Triplets
When a note is divided into three equal parts instead of two, the result is
called a triplet. A triplet occupies the same length of time normally
occupied by two notes of the same value. This is indicated by drawing the
number ‘3’ above the group of notes, and framing it with a square bracket.

t
Dotted notes
Placed immediately after and parallel to a note head or rest, a dot increases
the value of the note or rest by one half its normal duration. This makes it

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possible to create note values in between the normal notes without
inventing a new type of notation.

=&='=g¶======Y=='=

IV. Comprehension Exercises

a. Write T (true) or F (false).

____ 1. The rhythm of music is concerned with how pitches are placed in
time.

____ 2. Beat is the smallest unit of measure of musical time.

____ 3. The symbols for silence are called rests.

____ 4. The most common metric grouping is four beats in a measure.

____ 5. A whole note looks like a filled-in oval.

____ 6. The whole rest sits on the fourth line of the staff.

____ 7. The stem is always attached to the right side of the note head.

____ 8. A half rest is a silence of two beats long.

____ 9. Quarter notes are usually connected together by means of a beam.

____ 10. The flag is always attached to the right side of the note stem.

____ 11. Sixteenth notes have two flags attached to them.

____ 12. A dot increases the length of a note or rest by half its normal
duration.

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b. Choose the correct answer.

1. The meter ________.

a. is the overall rhythmic feeling of a piece of music
b. consists of repetitive patterns of strong (accented) and weak
(unaccented) beats
c. is the smallest unit of measure of musical time
d. a and b

2. The ________ is the underlying regular rhythm of a song.

a. meter b. measure
c. beat d. bar

3. Groups of beats are set apart from each other by ________.

a. bars b. bar lines
c. measures d. rests

4. ________ are the spaces between the bar lines.

a. bars b. beats
c. measures d. a and c

5. The ________ lasts for two beats.

a. whole note b. half note
c. quarter note d. eighth note

6. A ________ occupies a measure of four beats.

a. whole rest b. half rest
c. quarter rest d. eighth rest

7. A quarter note has a ________ attached to it.

a. beam b. stem
c. flag d. dot

8. The quarter note lasts for ________.

a. one fourth of a measure b. one fourth of a beat
c. one beat d. a and c

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9. Eight rests ________.
a. can be connected together by means of beams
b. can be connected together by means of double beams
c. can be connected together by means of stems
d. cannot be connected together

10. The triplet ________.

a. is divided into three equal parts instead of two
b. occupies the length of two notes of the same value
c. occupies the length of three notes of the same value
d. a and b

c. Answer the following questions orally.

1. How is the duration of a pitch indicated?

2. What is the most common metric grouping?

3. What is the use of a ‘beam’ in music notation?

4. How is a triplet indicated in music notation?

5. What is the function of a dot placed immediately after a note head or

rest?

V. Grammar

Relative Clauses

We use relative clauses to give additional information about something

without starting another sentence.
By combining sentences with a relative clause, your text becomes more
fluent and you can avoid repeating certain words.

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Example:
The eighth note has a flag. The flag is always on the right side.
 The eighth note has a flag which is always on the right side.

A girl is playing the piano. Do you know the girl?

 Do you know the girl who is playing the piano?

Relative Use Example

Pronoun

Do you know the girl who is

who subject or object pronoun for people
playing the piano?

subject or object pronoun for animals Do you see the book which is
which
and things lying on the table?

He couldn’t read which

which referring to a whole sentence
surprised me.

possession for people, animals and Do you know the boy whose
whose
things mother is a nurse?

I was invited by the professor

object pronoun for people, especially in
whom whom I met at the
non-defining relative clauses
conference.

subject or object pronoun for people,

I don’t like the table that
that animals and things in defining relative
stands in the kitchen.
clauses (who or which are also possible)

Subject pronoun or object pronoun?

 If the relative pronoun is followed by a verb, the relative pronoun is a
subject pronoun. Subject pronouns must always be present in the
sentence.
Example: The book which is lying on the table

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  If the relative pronoun is not followed by a verb (but by a noun or
pronoun), the relative pronoun is an object pronoun. Object pronouns
can be dropped in defining relative clauses.
Example: The book (which) George laid on the table

a. Combine the sentences with relative clauses.

1. A ferry is a ship. It carries people across the water.

A ferry __________________________________.

2. A monk is a man. The man has devoted his life to God.

A monk _____________________________________.

3. I have one black cat. His name is Blacky.

I have ___________________________.

4. Carol plays the piano brilliantly. She is only 9 years old.

Carol ________________________________________.

5. Sydney is the largest Australian city. It is not the capital of Australia.

Sydney ________________________________________________.

b. Decide whether the relative pronouns must be used or not.

1. The book which is on the table belongs to Brandon.

The relative pronoun is a. necessary b. not necessary

2. The man who you saw in the house is my cousin.

The relative pronoun is a. necessary b. not necessary

3. I cannot forget the song which they played last night.

The relative pronoun is a. necessary b. not necessary

4. A person that you don't trust won't trust you either.

The relative pronoun is a. necessary b. not necessary

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5. The museum which we visited last month is closed now.
The relative pronoun is a. necessary b. not necessary

VI. Learn More

German and French words in music

Just as for Italian, a number of words frequently used in music language
are from German and French. Only a few examples of the most common
follow:

Cadence /'keɪd(ə)ns/ (n) [Fr]

rhythm; intonation; a sequence of notes or chords comprising the close of a
musical phrase

Embouchure /ɒmbʊ'ʃʊə/ (n) [Fr]

the way in which a player applies the mouth and tongue in playing a brass
or wind instrument; the mouthpiece of a flute or a similar instrument

Encore /'ɒŋkɔː/ (n, v) [Fr]

request by an audience for a repeat or additional performance at the end of
a concert; performance given in response to such a request; once more!;
call for an encore; give an encore

Epilogue /'ɛpɪlɒg/ (n) (also Epilog) [Fr]

concluding section (at the end of a literary work or a piece of music)

Etude /'eɪtjuːd/ (n) [Fr]

piece of music intended for practice of a particular technique

Falsch /fɑlʃ/ (adj, adv) [Ger]

wrong; false; incorrect

Flugelhorn /'fluːg(ə)lhɔːn/ (n) [Ger]

valved brass musical instrument like a cornet but with a fuller tone

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Glockenspiel /'glɒk(ə)nʃpiːl/ (n) [Ger]
a musical percussion instrument which makes bell-like sounds

Nocturne /'nɒktəːn/ (n) [Fr]

a short composition of a romantic nature, typically for piano; a musical
piece written for the night

Partitur /pati'tuːə/ (n) [Ger]

musical score; sheet music showing the music for all parts and instruments
at once

Schlager /'ʃlɑgə/ (n) [Ger]

hit, popular song

Did you know?

 The biggest concert ever (having the largest crowd viewing it live) was
performed by Jean Michel Jarre in 1997 in Moscow, with more than 3
million spectators attending.

 Another Brick in the Wall II, the famous Pink Floyd song with its chorus
of kids chanting ’’We Don’t Need No Education’’ was banned by the
South African government since black children, upset about inferior
education, adopted the song as their anthem.

“Music is well said to be the speech of angels.”

– Thomas Carlyle

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