Note lengths

Understanding Quavers and Crotchets

The first thing we're going to talk about is quavers. I said there was a lot of work to do on them.

Comparing Crotchets and Quavers

Let's look at the first phrase and examine the difference between the crotchets and the quavers:

• Actually, there isn't any difference here because the crotchets are marked short.

In Fiesta Siesta, we discussed marking those short notes using the upside-down V or the hat. So, get your pencil out now and mark those on the part.

When I play that first phrase, you'll hear that:

• In the first bar, the crotchet and the quavers that follow are all the same length.

I went on to the second bar, and you heard that:

• The first note in the second bar is a full crotchet, which is why it's got the tenuto mark (the line across it).

The tenuto mark is marked on the top space. To make it easier for you to read, you could:

• Mark it above again in pencil, just like you have done with the upside-down V's for the short notes.

Continuing the Lesson

Let's carry on with this, and I'll play the next section. See if you can hear the short notes there as well:

• The crotchets are short.

We only really had two or three long notes:

• The crotchet in the second bar of the second line.
• Mark that up above.
• Then, in the next bar, we have a dotted crotchet, which is long as well.

Work out which the long notes are:

• The first beat of the second bar on the second line is the same as the second bar on the first line, the long crotchet.

You could mark that again with your pencil with a tenuto mark.

When we get to the next bar, the first note there is a dotted crotchet, and that needs to be long as well.