Reading Rhythms Part 2: Introducing Notes

Once it is comfortable to clap the patterns in the previous post, we get to match them with notes!

(The following correspond with the most common meters, also called simple meters:  2/4, 3/4, and 4/4, which we will explain and explore in a later lesson!)

Downloadable worksheet to practice matching notes with number of beats:
(I recommend that students fill in notes as illustrated above and then write the name of the note below as well)
Reading Rhythms Worksheet 1 PDF

Reading Rhythms Part 1

One of the things that is daunting about reading music is the language of rhythm.  And this is understandable!  Rhythm is difficult to learn because time is an abstract concept.

BUT we are already used to it!

One hour is a space of time that even the youngest people can relate to.  We understand that we have to move through it, and that it is constant (even though sometimes it doesn't feel so!)

An hour is a space of time.
a "beat" or a "count" is a space of time.

We are also used to stringing spaces of time together:

 Exercise one in practicing musical time is to clap through these "circles of time," choosing a constant space of time for each circle.  (A metronome is very helpful and free ones can be downloaded on most devices!)
I use a "clap-slide" method which later translates into held notes:
example, 4 beats would look like this:  "clap-slide-slide-slide"