Beginner Level: Note Values and Their Names

 

What are Note Values?

Note values tell you how long you should hold a note on a piano, or really any instrument. It tells you how long to sustain the note and how many beats it gets. A beat is another way of saying the amount of time to hold a note. Note values are also directly connected to rhythm. Rhythm is what keeps a song structured and making sense without letting the music get all jumbled and chaotic. Without rhythm, a song simply does not make sense! 

The Note Values and Their Names

Below is an explanation of each basic note, its value, and its name that I drew myself!

Eighth Notes

Eighth notes I included as a bonus because most of my students do not learn this until late level one or level 2. So, it's not quite beginner, but very close. To count an eighth note, you need to count with what I call "ands". Every other note (quarter, half note, dotted half, and whole) you can count without the ands. For example: one, two, three, four. As you would expect. For eighth notes, you would count a little differently because they do not get a full beat.

Let's say there are four eighth notes for a total of two beats. This is how you would count that: one and two and

When I write in the beats on sheet music for my students, I always write the ands as plus signs, so it would look more like this: 1 + 2 + . It's just easier that way! 

I hope you enjoyed this beginner lesson on note values and their names. Remember to practice!

Back to the Basics: Treble Clef and Bass Clef

 Treble Clef

When reading piano music, there are two clefs: treble clef and bass clef. What are clefs? I'm glad you asked! Clefs in music tell you where the notes are on the piano itself. There are a lot of keys on the piano, 88 to be exact. The treble and bass clef help you navigate what keys you need to play in a song. 

The treble clef generally tells you to play any notes that are from middle C and up (to the right). Now, there are some exceptions given there are ledger lines, but that is getting out of beginner territory so we shall keep it simple! Treble clef is middle C and up! The right hand plays the treble clef more often than not. Again, there are some exceptions, but this is the general rule. 

Bass Clef

The bass clef is basically the opposite of the treble clef. The bass clef tells you to play any notes that are from middle C and down or lower (to the left). The left hand normally plays the bass clef notes. Most people struggle with reading bass clef notes at the beginning of learning the piano. I've seen many students of mine get frustrated or struggle a lot especially with this particular clef. I think it's because most people learn about the treble clef in school or when they're kids, but the bass clef isn't usually covered as much. In addition to that, a lot of instruments -- I would say the majority -- only use the treble clef in the sheet music. 

So, bass clef isn't as popular as the treble clef but is still vital to learn when reading piano music. In summary: 

• Treble Clef - Middle C key and up. Right hand plays.
• Bass Clef - Middle C key and down. Left hand plays.
• Clefs - Tells you what keys specifically need to be played when reading music.

I hope you enjoyed this beginner lesson and remember to go practice!

Welcome: A Little About Me

 

A Little About Me: Introduction

My name is Jamie Hendricks! I am a piano teacher for all ages and have been playing the piano since I was about 8 years old -- 14 years of playing the piano now if you want to do the math! I graduated from high school at Arkansas Virtual Academy and immediately started working part-time as a piano teacher at Stephanie's Musique. 

I have taken piano lessons from the age of 8 to a year after I graduated high school at the age of 19. During those years I would perform twice a year in front of an audience and had lessons in music theory, technique, and performance. I have been in one National Piano-Playing Audition and passed into the Piano Guild with a certificate. I have also attended a Music Academy for a short time with brief lessons in college level music at John Brown University. 

I have been trained for a few months in the summer on how to teach private piano lessons and jumped into teaching in the fall semester of 2021. I have been teaching ever since. My lessons include material from music theory, technique, performance, and lesson books as well as learning to read music. For children, I always try to make my lessons as fun and engaging as possible by using games and worksheets. For adults, I always try to go at their own pace, encouraging them in their learning and practice. I go over all the necessary material for both children and adults, of course. 

Why Piano?

I chose to take piano lessons when I was a kid and have always loved it. It is very challenging, but also very rewarding! I love to express myself through music and create a story through my playing. If you want to learn how to play piano, I am happy to teach you! Piano and music in general have always been a passion of mine, and when I began teaching, I realized that I had love for that too. It's so exciting watching my students grow!

About This Blog

This blog is something that I wanted to do for fun in addition to my private lessons page. It will include mini music lessons, posts about different composers and their life and more. I have always wanted to delve into different composers, and this will give me the push to do so! 

I hope whoever comes across this blog enjoys the posts. Remember to go practice!