Basic Music Theory
Note Anatomy 101
Let’s dissect a note. You’ll need to know the parts so that later in the
book, when I say, “Make sure the note head is in the space and flip the
stem,” you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
No notes were harmed for this dissection.
The Note Head
Not a tough one. Just like with people, the head is the round part
where almost everything is happening. It’s the position of the note
head which gives us the pitch we need. Or—in the case of the rhythm
clef—the type of instrument.
Notice how the shapes of the note heads are similar? Good. Some
might have holes in the middle, and some might be filled in, but
they’re all the same basic shape.
Size Doesn’t Matter
A whole note the size of my house and a whole note the size of a
house fly would each get the same number of beats.
The whole note is the
Braniac of notes. It’s all
head.
Note heads.
Note heads.
