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Author Topic: Need Explanationation re: Rest symbols (piano)  (Read 1013 times)

Offline redeemed92

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Need Explanationation re: Rest symbols (piano)
« on: August 31, 2007, 06:22:46 PM »
I get the gist of using the rest symbol to a point, but this diagram in the piano book I'm reading has me stumped. I can't show you the diagram I'm stuck on but I'll try to explain it.

It has the first measure with the Treble Clef and the 4/4 Time signature showing a whole note of G on the 1st beat of the measure. Then in the second measure (this is what is getting me stuck). There is the rest symbol in between the 2nd and 3rd beat. Can anyone explain? If one note is played and held and no other notes are played what is the difference between the rest and the lack of note being played?

Hope I'm not sounding too confusing to get some help!!! Yikes!!!

If you want to explain dotted & tied notes I also need help in these!!! Hearing it played helps me to understand it better.

THANKS AHEAD OF TIME!!

Offline sjonathan02

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Re: Need Explanationation re: Rest symbols (piano)
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2007, 09:24:09 PM »
I get the gist of using the rest symbol to a point, but this diagram in the piano book I'm reading has me stumped. I can't show you the diagram I'm stuck on but I'll try to explain it.

It has the first measure with the Treble Clef and the 4/4 Time signature showing a whole note of G on the 1st beat of the measure. Then in the second measure (this is what is getting me stuck). There is the rest symbol in between the 2nd and 3rd beat. Can anyone explain? If one note is played and held and no other notes are played what is the difference between the rest and the lack of note being played?

Hope I'm not sounding too confusing to get some help!!! Yikes!!!

If you want to explain dotted & tied notes I also need help in these!!! Hearing it played helps me to understand it better.

THANKS AHEAD OF TIME!!

You say that you're in 4/4 time (or common time), right? If that's the case, then that means there's only 1 beat that you are playing before this rest.

Now, that beat could be a quarter note, a pair of eighth notes, 4 sixteenth notes, etc.; any combination of notes that'll equal one beat. Then, you have, from your description, two beats of rest (where you're NOT playing any notes).

Does that explain it for you?


Dotted notes:

The dot, next to a note, gets half the value of the note that it's next to, and you add the two values together. For example:


Quarter Note = 1 beat   +   .  =  1/2 a beat  ----  a dotted quarter note = 1 1/2 beats.

Half Note = 2 beats    +   .   =   1 beat  -------   a dotted half note = 3 beats



When you play a dotted note, you just have to hold it for the correct length of beats. Got it?


Tied notes = 2 notes of the same pitch. You only have to play the first note, then hold it for the alloted duration of time. For example:


Two tied half notes (one from the end of Measure 1 and the second starting in Measure 2) means hold that pitch for 4 beats.  Got it? ;)

Hope that helps. :)
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Offline redeemed92

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Re: Need Explanationation re: Rest symbols (piano)
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2007, 03:18:43 AM »
I'll have to draw the diagram for the rest symbol because this doesn't sound like the case, BUT, I totally get the dotted & tied notes info!!!

Cool!!  & thanks!!!

I guess I'll let the other post regarding my all seeing eye go for now!!  ;)

Offline bluemagic

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Re: Need Explanationation re: Rest symbols (piano)
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2007, 09:11:07 AM »
RESTS are PERIODS of SILENCE (but I'm sure you know this)

A WHOLE Rest is indicated by a small block below a line on the staff (indicates that no notes are played for 4 counts in 4/4 time)

A HALF Rest is indicated by a small block above a line on the staff (indicates that no notes are played for 2 counts in 4/4 time)

A QUARTER Rest is indicated by a vertical squiggly line on the staff (indicates that no notes are played for 1 count in 4/4 time)

Remember, since RESTS are measure-specific what notes are played in the preceding or following measure has no significance. 

Can you describe what the Rest symbol looks like?  If it's between beats 3 and 4 maybe it's indicating an EIGHTH Rest???

Offline sjonathan02

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Re: Need Explanationation re: Rest symbols (piano)
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2007, 10:33:31 AM »
RESTS are PERIODS of SILENCE (but I'm sure you know this)

A WHOLE Rest is indicated by a small block below a line on the staff (indicates that no notes are played for 4 counts in 4/4 time)

A HALF Rest is indicated by a small block above a line on the staff (indicates that no notes are played for 2 counts in 4/4 time)

A QUARTER Rest is indicated by a vertical squiggly line on the staff (indicates that no notes are played for 1 count in 4/4 time)

Remember, since RESTS are measure-specific what notes are played in the preceding or following measure has no significance. 

Can you describe what the Rest symbol looks like?  If it's between beats 3 and 4 maybe it's indicating an EIGHTH Rest???

She said between second and third beats, I believe; BUT, I agree that it may be an EIGHTH rest. (which looks like the number 7, with a black circle at the tip of it.)
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