๐น Piano for Beginners ยท Lesson 5 of 7
Rhythm: the beat and note values
Whole, half and quarter notes, counting out loud and a metronome.
The beat
Music has a steady beat, like a heartbeat or a clock. Tap your foot to a song โ thatโs the beat. Most beginner songs have 4 beats in each measure (4/4 time).
Note values
| Whole note ๐ | 4 beats โ count โ1-2-3-4โ |
|---|---|
| Half note ๐ ๐ ฅ | 2 beats โ count โ1-2โ |
| Quarter note โฉ | 1 beat โ count โ1โ |
| Eighth notes โซ | Two in one beat โ count โ1-andโ |
| Rest | Silence for that many beats |
Count out loud
Clap and count: โฉ โฉ ๐ ๐ ฅ = โ1, 2, 3-4โ. Counting out loud feels silly at first, but it is what every musician does when learning a new piece.
The metronome
A metronome clicks a steady beat. Start slow โ 60 beats per minute (one click per second). When itโs easy, go up to 70, then 80. Free metronome apps work great.
Tip
๐ก Rhythm matters more than right notes. A wrong note in rhythm sounds better than the right note at the wrong time.
โ๏ธ Practice: your turn
- Tap your foot to 3 different songs
- Clap: quarter, quarter, half โ and count out loud
- Play Mary Had a Little Lamb with a metronome at 60
- Hold every half note for exactly 2 beats
๐ง Quick quiz
Answer all 4 questions correctly to mark this lesson as done.
0 of 4 correct
All lessons in Piano for Beginners
- ๐น 1. Getting to know the keyboardGroups of 2 and 3 black keys, and where C is
- ๐ค 2. Note namesC D E F G A B โ the musical alphabet
- โ 3. Hand position and finger numbersFingers 1โ5, sitting right and a rounded hand
- ๐ 4. A first song with the right handMary Had a Little Lamb with just three notes
- ๐ฅ 5. Rhythm: the beat and note valuesWhole, half and quarter notes, counting out loud and a metronome
- ๐ผ 6. Reading notesThe staff, the treble clef, and C-position notes on the page
- ๐ 7. Left hand, both hands and daily practicePlay together, and 10 minutes a day to keep going