Question about counting in Rookie Lesson 37

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Lovegrim
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Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2018 3:08 pm

Question about counting in Rookie Lesson 37

Post by Lovegrim » Tue Dec 18, 2018 3:15 pm

Hello!

I´m in rookie lesson 37. Right Hand 2. Its played in 4/2 time.

In the lesson there are several measures containing a quarter note followed by a half note, followed by a quarter note. How do I count that? I´m familiar with counting One AND two AND Three and so forth, but when with the note arranged like that I can´t figure it out. Any tips?

andrewwegierski
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Re: Question about counting in Rookie Lesson 37

Post by andrewwegierski » Wed Dec 26, 2018 7:50 pm

Great question. So in 4/2 time, the half note is the beat, and there are 4 beats per measure still.

This is the same as if it was notated as an eighth note, quarter note, than eighth note in 4/4 time. That's 1 + (2) +. The 2 is silent.

So it's counted the same in 4/2. 1 +, +

Best,
Andrew
Andrew Wegierski

Customer Support Representative
Music Arranger

support@playgroundsessions.com

Lovegrim
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Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2018 3:08 pm

Re: Question about counting in Rookie Lesson 37

Post by Lovegrim » Fri Dec 28, 2018 4:48 am

Thanks for the reply!

I´m still not quite getting it though, and I think its because there is some sort of missunderstanding about the basics about measures and counting lingering with me. I´ve been reviewing the earlier video lessons and such and here´s something that does not make sense with me.

I get that 4/2 means there are four beats per measure, and the half-note gets the beat.

But, in the Rookie tutorials there seems like the measures only contain two half-notes? (or one whole note, or four quarter notes).

If there are four beats per measure and the half note gets the beat, should a measure not contain four half-notes?

andrewwegierski
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Re: Question about counting in Rookie Lesson 37

Post by andrewwegierski » Fri Dec 28, 2018 8:53 pm

You're right. In the rookie tutorials and songs, the measures are broken up with dotted barlines.

Each dotted barline separates the measure into 2 half notes. Since the half note is the beat, this means that the dotted measures also contain 2 beats. The "time signature" then for the dotted bars is 2/2 - 2 beats, half note gets the beat.

Put two of the dotted measures together, and you get 4/2, which is separated by a solid barline.
Andrew Wegierski

Customer Support Representative
Music Arranger

support@playgroundsessions.com

Lovegrim
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2018 3:08 pm

Re: Question about counting in Rookie Lesson 37

Post by Lovegrim » Sat Dec 29, 2018 5:20 am

Ah, I see.

Okay I think I get it now. I´ve watched the first video tutorials now and things make much more sense.

Thanks!

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