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1.4 Presentation of concepts - simple and compound concurrently;

definitions of dotted values

A primary source of misconceptions in rhythmic comprehension among music students is

the incomplete definition of a quarter note. Most students will recite by rote that a “quarter note

equals one beat” or “gets one beat” at all times and in all situations. This type of definition is

provided in the vast majority of piano methods and is a commonly taught in both private studio

instruction and school band or orchestra programs. It is understandable that this statement is so

frequently uttered – the majority music for kids is in 4/4 or 3/4 time, hence this definition is true

in most of the young musician’s musical world. The problem with the statement is that later,

when introduced to compound time and other time signatures, students struggle to get a sense of

the rhythmic look and feel of different beat notes and divisions of the beat. To remedy this, I

have prepared the topic of meter as the one of the primary instructional themes. Starting early

with duple meter, I have students learn and experience simple and compound divisions

simultaneously. I also use a variety of beat notes so that students can grasp the meaning of time

signatures more completely.

Another common problem in music instruction, (be it from methods or from instructors),

is the idea that dotted notes equal “one and a half” of the original note. This definition does not

hold true in compound meters, where dotted notes can be one full beat; thus, confusion abounds.

A goal of my method is to focus more on the relationship or ratio between notes. I present dotted

rhythms as being worth three of the division of the original note. (I often use the description

“three of the next smaller note value.”) Dotted whole notes are worth three half notes; dotted half

notes are worth three quarter notes; dotted quarter notes are worth three eighth notes. These

statements are true in both simple and compound time and can then help the learner move freely

between a variety of time signatures and metric patterns. Furthermore, as my method often