Mixed Rhythms

Interesting melodies are comprised of a mixture of rhythmic values. There are some basic mixed patterns that are found commonly in melodies. They make use of all the note values we have already seen. To make the patterns easily recognizable, the notes are beamed into single beats. These single beat groupings can be learned both visually and aurally to gain rhythmic fluency in both performance and reading music.

Here is a mixture of quarter and eight notes. As you listen to the rhythm, notice that the snare drum sound remains steady. It is the ongoing beat. As you practice performing rhythms, you also should maintain a steady beat. I suggest you tap your foot to the beat and sing or clap the rhythm that is written. Listen to the pattern and then perform it yourself by clapping or singing as you tap your foot to the beat. Be sure to take it no faster than you can perform it comfortably.

Let's try another rhythm with a mixture of eighths and sixteenth notes. As the notes get faster, you may need to use a slower beat but even if it is slower, it must always stay steady. It should not get faster when the rhythms are easier and slower when the rhythms get harder. The beat always stays steady, only the melodic rhythm values change.

Notice how the beaming works to show single beats in this example. If two beams are attached to a stem, then that note is a sixteenth. As you can see, it is possible to mix eighths and sixteenths within a single beat. Again listen and then perform it yourself. If you have trouble, just slow down the beat and try again. Only speed up the tempo after you can comfortably perform the rhythm slowly.

Dots

This process is a little more complicated with a dotted quarter note which now gets one and one half beats instead of just one beat. Notice that when you tap your foot that the second tap comes on the dot. A dotted quarter note also usually comes with a single eighth note which completes the second beat. If you are tapping your foot, you will find that this single eighth note occurs when your foot comes up the second time. This entire rhythm takes the same length of time as a half note.

The next most common dotted rhythm is a dotted eighth which is usually accompanied by a single sixteenth. The eighth plus the dot adds up to 3/4 of a beat. The final sixteenth then completes the beat. It helps to silently perform the first three sixteenths of the beat and say the fourth one out loud. Notice that this whole dotted rhythm takes the same length of time as a single quarter note.

Rests

There are also times in a melody when you are to do nothing (rest). Musical notation includes symbols for all the rests that match the standard rhythmic values.

A whole note rest looks like a small rectangle that hangs from the 4th line. In 4 /4 time, you must remain silent for a full measure or 4 beats.

A half rest is also a small rectangle but sits on the 3rd line. Like a half note, it fills two beats.

Quarter note rests ask you to remain silent for one beat.

Eight note rests are half a beat in length and can appear on either the 1st or 2nd half of the beat. In this example, the second beat has a rest on the second half of the beat while the third beat has a rest on the first half of the beat. You may find this last rhythm more difficult because you must tap your foot and do nothing at the same time which proves more difficult than one might imagine at first. Notice that the beaming does not cross over beat boundaries. Do not beam over rests.

Sixteenth note rests are only 1/4 beat in length. They can theoretically fall on any fourth of the beat. It is best to slow down the beat (or tempo) when practicing these patterns. Again notice the beaming. Can you see to which beat each of the sixteenth rests belong? Remember to tap your foot as you work out this rhythm. It helps to keep a silent flow of sixteenth notes in your head as you perform this rhythm. Also notice how the second beat of the first measure begins with a rest so you must not say anything as your foot taps the beginning of this beat.