As we have learned from Unit 1 , duration is the quality of sound that allows us to distinguish between long and short sounds.

We represent duration in scores by means of note values and rests.

Note Values

Note values (and their respective rests) are music symbols that indicate the duration of a sound or music note.

LENGTH MODIFIERS

There are music signs that are used to increase the duration of a note:

1. The tie: The tie is a curved line that joins the heads of two notes of the same pitch. The result is a single note whose length is the sum of the two tied notes.

2. The dot: The rhythm dot is placed to the right of a note or rest and increases the duration by half its value.

3. The fermata or pause: The fermata is placed above a note and increases its duration as much as the player decides.

RHYTHM AND BEAT

Rhythm is the organisation of sounds and silences in time.

Beat is a steady recurring pulse that we feel when music is played. Think of it as your heart beat. It can be fast or slow, but they are always regular.

The duration of a beat is represented in music by a crotchet (quarter note)

If a crotchet lasts one beat, the rest of the note values and rests have these durations:

The semibreve or whole note gets four beats, so the semibreve lasts four crotchets or 4 quarter notes.

The minim or half note gets 2 beats, so the minim or half note lasts 2 crotchets or 2 quarter notes. Two minims equal one semibreve

The crotchet or quarter note gets 1 beat, so it lasts one crotchet. Two crotchets equal one minim and four crotchets equal one semibreve

The quaver gets half a beat, so it lasts half a crotchet. Two quavers equal one crotchet, four quavers equal one minim, eight quavers equal a semibreve

The semiquaver gets a quarter of beat, so it lasts half a quaver. Two semiquavers equal one quaver, four semiquavers equal one crotchet, eight semiquavers equal one minim and sixteen semiquavers equal a semibreve.

And so on....

MUSIC METRE

Beats are grouped and organised to form the time signature. The first beat of every bar or measure is stressed. The time signature is the symbol that tells you the meter of the piece. They are represented by fractions.

The terms duple, triple and quadruple refer to the number of beats that each measure or bar contains.

The most common simple time signatures are:

Duple metre: two beats per measure

Triple metre: three beats per measure

Quadruple metre: four beats per measure

• Variable tempo markings: these markings introduce a gradual change in the speed.
  • Accelerando (accel.) / animando (anim.): gradually faster speed.
  • Ritardando (rit.) / rallentando (rall.): gradually slower speed.
• Free tempo markings: these markings stop the regular speed and the performer is free to choose the speed.
  • Ad libitum / a piacere: at the performer's choice, freely.
• Reset the tempo: these markings re-establish the original speed, after a variable or free tempo marking.
  • A tempo / In tempo: in time.

We can also use the metronome, a device create by Maelzel that marks the number of beats per minute.