LESSON EIGHT

The Dotted Quarter Note

A dot after a quarter note means that you hold the note for one and a half beats.

A dotted quarter note is often followed by an eighth note.

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Count out loud as you play this melody, and keep your timing even.

First and Second Endings

The next piece contains first and second endings. The first time you play through the piece, play the first ending, (Z), then go back to the beginning. The second time you play through the song, play the second ending (X) instead of the first.

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Jingle Bells

Using first and second endings saves the composer writing the same notes twice. It also helps avoid having to turn pages in longer pieces, thus making sight reading easier for the musician.

Try singing the names of the notes as you play this traditional Christmas song. This will help develop your sense of pitch as well as your note recognition.