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Welcome to the Beginning Clarinet Songbook

Lesson 2: Rhythm
Ties, Half Notes, and Half Rests

Follow the links below for more information on each song, as well as pictures and helpful links.

Song #1: The Tie

Song #2: Counting Half Notes

Song #3: Breakfast for the Butterfly

Song #4: Introducing Flopsy the Whimsical Clown

Song #5: Fair or Foul

Song #6: Clarobotoo's Flying Car

The elements of music in Lesson 2:

Sound: Pitches used in this lesson: C through E
Rhythm: Time signatures used in this lesson: two-four, three-four, four-four
Note values used in this lesson: quarter notes, quarter rests, half notes, half rests
Melody: phrases, breath marks

In this lesson we are going to focus on ties and two new rhythmic durations: half notes, and half rests.

A tie is a line that connects two or more notes that have the same pitch.

The Tie

When two notes are tied, we hold them together and we do not re-articulate or tongue the second note. In the above example, we play the tied quarter notes for two beats.

The half note is equal to two quarter notes tied together. When the quarter note is equal to one beat, the half note is equal to two beats.

Two tied quarter notes are equal to one half note.

The half rest is a small black rectangle that sits on top of the middle staff line. It is equal to two quarter rests. In this example it indicates two beats rest.

The half rest is equal to two beats in this example.

For more educational tools for the clarinet, please visit www.ClarinetSpace.com and www.MetronomeBot.com.