

But as you progress, and perhaps start to write your own music, you may find yourself wondering why one note sounds better than its neighbor, or why a certain combination of notes sounds dissonant.

This system definitely works! And it’s a great way to learn when you’re just starting out.
#Music math notes how to#
Thelonious Monk famously said, “All musicians are subconsciously mathematicians.” What did he mean by that? Well, when you are first learning an instrument and learning to read music, you are very likely simply rote memorizing the tune of a song, how to get from one note to the other, which comes when and how your fingers make that happen. But if you look a little closer, you’ll see that there is a very precise, mathematical system underneath those wild rhythms and soaring melodies that can be harnessed to create original compositions. At first, music and math might seem like the two farthest disciplines from each other: in math, there is one right answer and not much of the human involved in music, on the other hand, passion, humanity and creativity are essential ingredients. Learn more about notes with the Getting It Down Cold Workshops and Music Theory Course a systematic way to learn and own music knowledge.Have you ever noticed that many great musicians or composers are also mathematically inclined–and vice versa? Leonardo DaVinci, Albert Einstein, Herbie Hancock, Johann Sebastian Bach, John Coltrane. As you can see the most basic way to describe rhythm and note patterns is by divisions of 2. We will introduce other mathematical divisions later in our journey. Yes, the power of two, that’s the math of basic rhythm.
#Music math notes plus#
Here are more dotted notes:ĭotted quarter note: quarter note plus an eight note.ĭotted eight note: eight note plus a sixteenth note.
#Music math notes full#
Here’s the example of the dot: a dotted half note is a half note plus a quarter note and is held for 3 full counts of a quarter note. “ = The Dot: Add one half the value of the note attached to the dot. = Sixteenth note and rest: 1/16 of a whole note,1/2 of an eighth note, 1/4 of a quarter note, it takes 4 sixteenth notes to make a quarter note, (4 sixteenths beamed together)Įxamples of notes on the staff each equal in count: Add a Dot after a note

= Eight note and rest: 1/8 of a whole note/rest, 1/2 of a quarter note, it takes 8 eighth notes to make a whole note. = Quarter note and rest: 1/4 of a whole note/rest,1/2 of a half note/rest, 4 quarter notes make a whole note. = Half note and rest: 1/2 of a whole note/rest, 2 half notes make a whole note/rest. = Whole note and rest: represents the time for a whole measure and is held for four counts of the measure. First let’s look at the relationship of the notes and rests to each other. Our basic understanding starts with the symbols used above where we can assign time to the note. Here we start with the concept of note time value. Music is mathematical and is in the rhythm we learn here and the sound pitches we will learn about in the music staff. So let’s explore the music theory math next and give all these symbols some meaning.
