16: Seeing Dots
Example 16.3 Two measures of dotted quarter notes in 4/4 time.
Musical Example
Because this rhythm is a little trickier, below is an example which you
should recognize (be sure to tap your foot):Example 16.4 First two measures of My Country, ‘Tis of Thee.
Dotted Eighth Note
This is the last type of dotted note we’ll discuss. Find the length with the
same process as the other dotted notes.
An eighth note is half of a beat. There are two sixteenth notes in one
eighth note. So half of an eighth note is 1/4 of a beat, or 1 sixteenth note.
When we add that to the eighth note, we get 3/4 of a beat, or 3 sixteenths.
Or, 1 1/2 x 1/2 = 3/4.
You’ll rarely see a dotted eighth note without a sixteenth note following
it to round out the beat. In fact, it’s so common, that the figure has a
name. Dotted eighth-sixteenth. Go figure.
Here is a measure of dotted 8th-16ths. Notice that a sixteenth note count
is used so that you can keep track of exactly how long the dotted eighth
is. Be sure your foot hits the floor on the numbers.1 -+-2 ++ 3 -+-4 13 +-2-+ +-4-+
(^1231) -+-2 + 3
My coun- try ‘tis of thee