Lesson 3: Playing A with Quarter Notes
What Will You Learn in This Lesson?
This lesson covers the basics of reading sheet music. You’ll learn to recognize and understand the treble clef, bass clef, time signatures, quarter notes, quarter rests, bar lines, and repeat bar lines. After that, we’ll work with one note “A” and practice using it in both hands to create music. You’ll also practice staying in time with a backing track, which is key to improving your rhythm.
Why Is This Important?
Reading sheet music is like learning the alphabet for musicians. It’s the foundation for everything else. Once you can read music, you can pick up new songs, understand the structure of pieces, and become more independent as a musician.
Playing with a backing track helps you stay on beat and develop a solid sense of rhythm. This is super important for playing in time with other musicians or when performing on your own.
How to Practice Effectively:
(Follow these steps in the video)
Step 1: Play the right hand while counting out loud.
Step 2: Play the left hand while counting out loud.
Step 3: Play both hands together and keep counting out loud.
Step 4: Play both hands without counting, but keep the beat steady.
Step 5: Play along with me in the video.
Step 6: Play along with the backing track.
Step 7: Print out the sheet music, restart the video from the beginning, and this time, don’t watch the screen. Instead, just listen to the audio while keeping your eyes on the sheet music.
How Do You Know You’re Ready to Move to the Next Lesson?
Level 1 – Basic: You’ve played through each step three times.
Level 2 – Solid: You’ve played through each step without mistakes at least three times.
Level 3 – Pro: You’ve played through each step perfectly two times in a row.
Fast Track Option:
The minimum requirement to progress to the next lesson is to play this piece smoothly while keeping your eyes on the sheet music and counting aloud. Once you can do that, you’re ready to move on.
Note: Don’t forget to check the “Materials” tab for the music theory related to this lesson.
1. Treble Clef (𝄞)
What Is It?
- The treble clef is a symbol placed at the beginning of the staff (the set of five lines and four spaces).
- It tells you that the notes on this staff are for higher-pitched sounds.
How It Helps You:
- Right Hand Notes: Most of the notes you'll play with your right hand are written in the treble clef.
Visual Tip:
- It looks like a fancy, stylized "G." In fact, it's sometimes called the "G clef."
2. Bass Clef (𝄢)
What Is It?
- The bass clef is another symbol at the beginning of the staff.
- It indicates that the notes are for lower-pitched sounds.
How It Helps You:
- Left Hand Notes: Most of the notes you'll play with your left hand are written in the bass clef.
Visual Tip:
- It looks like a backward "C" with two dots. It's sometimes called the "F clef."
3. Time Signature (4/4)
What Is It?
- A time signature appears at the beginning of a piece of music, right after the clef symbol.
- The top number tells you how many beats are in each measure (also called a bar).
- The bottom number tells you what type of note gets one beat.
Understanding 4/4 Time:
- Top 4: There are four beats in each measure.
- Bottom 4: A quarter note gets one beat.
How It Helps You:
- It sets the rhythm and pace of the music.
- Think of it as the "heartbeat" of the piece.
4. Quarter Note (♩)
What Is It?
- A quarter note is a musical note symbol that represents one beat of sound in 4/4 time.
How It Helps You:
- Counting Beats: Each quarter note lasts for one count. In 4/4 time, you count "1, 2, 3, 4," and play a note on each number.
- Rhythm Practice: It's great for practicing steady timing.
Visual Tip:
- It looks like a filled-in oval note head with a straight stem.
5. Quarter Rest (𝄽)
What Is It?
- A quarter rest is a symbol that represents one beat of silence.
How It Helps You:
- Pausing: It tells you when not to play but to keep counting.
Visual Tip:
- It looks like a squiggly vertical line or the letter "Z" sitting on top of the letter "C."
6. Single Bar Line (|)
What Is It?
- A single bar line is a vertical line that crosses the staff.
How It Helps You:
- Dividing Measures: It separates music into measures or bars, making it easier to read and count.
- Organizing Music: Helps you keep track of where you are in the piece.
7. Repeat Bar Line (:|| or ||:)
What Is It?
- A repeat bar line consists of a double bar line with two dots.
- Start Repeat (||:): Tells you where to begin the repeat.
- End Repeat (:||): Tells you where to end the repeat and go back to the start repeat.
How It Helps You:
- Repeating Sections: Indicates that you should play a section of music again.
- Saving Space: Avoids rewriting music that's repeated.
Visual Tip:
- Looks like a regular double bar line but with two dots—one above and one below the middle line of the staff.
Putting It All Together
Let's see how these symbols work in a simple piece:
- Starting Out:
- Treble Clef: Indicates right-hand notes.
- Bass Clef: Indicates left-hand notes.
- Time Signature (4/4): You'll count "1, 2, 3, 4" in each measure.
- Reading Notes and Rests:
- Quarter Notes (♩): Play a note and hold it for one beat.
- Quarter Rests (𝄽): Pause for one beat—no playing, just counting.
- Following Bar Lines:
- Single Bar Lines (|): Keep your counting consistent as you move from one measure to the next.
- Repeat Bar Lines (:||): When you reach this, go back to the beginning or to the start repeat sign and play that section again.