Music: reading rhythm & pitch notation
Aligned to NCAS:Re — National Core Arts Standards.
What this lesson teaches
Music can be written down using symbols, just like words are written with letters. Notes sit on a set of lines called a staff, and their shape tells you whether to hold them long or play them short. Reading music lets you learn new songs on your own.
Worked example
A quarter note gets one beat, like clapping ta. Two eighth notes share a beat, like saying ti-ti. Clap ta ta ti-ti ta from the page.
Practice questions
- Clap a written rhythm of quarter and eighth notes.
- Name the lines or spaces of the music staff.
- Draw a short rhythm, then clap what you wrote.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Música: lectura de ritmo y notación de altura
La música puede escribirse usando símbolos, igual que las palabras se escriben con letras. Las notas se colocan en un conjunto de líneas llamado pentagrama, y su forma indica si debes sostenerlas mucho tiempo o tocarlas de forma corta. Leer música te permite aprender canciones nuevas por tu cuenta.
Ejemplo: Una negra dura un tiempo, como dar una palmada diciendo ta. Dos corcheas comparten un tiempo, como decir ti-ti. Aplaude ta ta ti-ti ta siguiendo la página.
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