In the example above, the time signature is 4/4, meaning there are 4 beats per bar and that every quarter note gets one beat. Try listening to sheet music written in 4/4 time, and try counting along 1,2,3,4 – 1,2,3,4 with the beat numbers above.
In the example below, the time signature is 3/4, meaning there are 3 beats per bar and that every quarter note gets one beat. Try listening to sheet music written in 3/4 time, try counting the beats, 1,2,3 – 1,2,3. Let's look again at the examples, notice that even though the 4/4 time signature in "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" calls for 4 beats per bar, there aren't 4 notes in second bar? That's because you have two quarter notes and one half note, which added together equal 4 beats.
In addition to your note values and time signature, the last piece to feeling the rhythm is knowing your tempo, or beats per minute. Tempo tells you how fast or slow a piece is intended to be played, and often is shown at the top of a piece of sheet music. A tempo of, say 60 BPM (beats per minute) would mean you'd play 60 of the signified notes every minute or a single note every second. Likewise, a tempo of 120 would double the speed at 2 notes every second. You may also see Italian words like "Largo," "Allegro" or "Presto" at the top of your sheet music, which signify common tempos. Musicians use a tool, called a metronome, to help them keep tempo while practicing a new piece.
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Learning Piano Notes and Keys
Não FicçãoA quick and easy guide to how to play beautiful music on piano! Whether you're learning to impress a special someone, or just to play the notes from that song you love, here's a simple way to learn! Good luck!~
