Rhythm reading lessons › Lesson 2 of 19
Longer notes: clap once and hold through the beats.
A half note lasts two beats and a whole note fills the bar. You clap only at the start, then let the note ring while you keep counting.
The next clap after a long note is where timing slips. Count the held beats out loud: "1 2-2, 3 4-4".
| Figure | Count | Kodály syllables |
|---|---|---|
| Half note | 1 (2) | ta-a |
| Whole note | 1 (2 3 4) | ta-a-a-a |
| Half rest | (two silent beats) | sh-sh |
A half note has an open note head with a stem and lasts two beats. A whole note is an open note head without a stem and lasts four beats, a full bar of 4/4. Each value is twice as long as the next: one whole note equals two half notes or four quarter notes.
The half rest is a small block sitting on the middle line of the staff, like a hat. The whole rest is the same block hanging below the line above it.
A clap is over at once, so the length of a long note has to live in your counting. Clap on the first beat and count the rest of the note softly: "1 (2) 3 (4)" for two half notes, "1 (2 3 4)" for a whole note. Some teachers have students keep their hands together and pulse them gently on each held beat, so the note is felt for its whole length.
Long notes get cut short. Most people come in early after a half or whole note, especially at slow tempos, because waiting feels uncomfortable. Keep the count going at the same strength in your head during the held beats. When an exercise mixes half and quarter notes, tap your foot on every beat so the pulse does not depend on your hands.