Lesson 17: Time signatures and note values

Week 17 of 24

Goal: You understand 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 time and know how long whole, half and quarter notes are.

Review

Play C and Am and say which is major and which is minor.

Step by step

  1. The top number tells you how far to count: 4/4 to four, 3/4 to three (waltz), 2/4 to two (march).
  2. Note values: a quarter note lasts one beat, a half note two, a whole note four. An eighth note is half a quarter – like in down-up.
  3. Rests count too: lay the palm of your strumming hand gently on the strings – they go quiet. Try it: strum C twice, then two beats of rest with your hand on the strings.
  4. Play with C: four quarters (4 strums), two halves (strum, let it ring), one whole (strum once, count to four).
  5. In 2/4 it’s brisk like a march: “one, two, one, two”. The pattern is called “March (2/4)”. More: Time signatures.

Time to make music: your piece

March pattern in Rhythm, then “Ein Jäger aus Kurpfalz” and “Auf de schwäbsche Eisebahne” with C and G7 – brisk in two.

Practise rhythm Pattern: March (2/4)

Ein Jäger aus Kurpfalz

Auf de schwäbsche Eisebahne

Homework for next time

Five days, about ten minutes each:

  • With C: play quarters, halves, wholes and count along.
  • Play one song each in 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4.
  • “Ein Jäger aus Kurpfalz” with the backing.
  • Fun: march around the room as you play.

Done when …

  • you can say how many beats quarter, half and whole notes have
  • you accompany a song in 2/4

If you get stuck

  • You stop too early on the whole note? Count out loud to four and only strum again on the next one.
  • The march gets too fast? Set the metronome to “Slow” and march on the spot in time.
For teachers: lesson plan
  1. ≈ 10 min Warm-up: clap note values – quarters clap, halves clap and hold, wholes clap and draw a circle.
  2. ≈ 15 min Practice: the teacher shows note cards, the class plays them on C. Then guess the time: teacher plays, class counts.
  3. ≈ 20 min Song together: “Ein Jäger aus Kurpfalz” – everyone loud on the “Trara”.

Differentiation: those who are confident play the piece with down-up or help a partner; those who need more time strum only on beat one of each bar.

For the board: openstring.de/ukulele/en/lesson/17/

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