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The Eighth Note

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Recommended - Why should you Choose the Alfred's Basic Piano Course - Lesson Book Complete Level 1 (1a/1b)?

I have written a page where I share my opinion of the top Piano Method Books.
The book I use with my student is the Alfred's Basic Piano Course - Lesson Book Complete Level 1 (1a/1b).icon

It's a faster-paced version of Levels 1A and 1B that gets to staff reading more quickly. Perfect for a student who is 8 or older, or for a younger beginner with great musical aptitude.

Eighth Note

In the previous piano lessons we learned about the whole note, the half note and quarter note.

A whole note is a note that lasts four beats. We divided the four beats to two groups and each note (which lasted two beats) was called a half note.

We did the same with the quarter note and so each note quarter note lasts one count or beat.

Today I'd like to show you what happens when we divide a quarter note to two. When we divide a quarter note to two we create two equal eighth notes.

Two eighths are played at the same time of one quarter note.


Eighth Note singly

However eighths might also appear singly. They will look like this:


Eighth Notes in different vatiations (singly, as a pair or connected.)

We draw an eight note by filling up the circle in black and adding a one flag to the stem of the note.
When eighths are played in pair you'll see that both their stems are connected. You might even see two pairs of eighths connected together.

We count "one-and" "two-and" three-and" and so on for each group of two notes in a quarter note In order to be able to play the eighths rhythmically.

The Eighth Rest

Eighth Rest.

The Eighth Rest means you have to REST FOR THE VALUE of an EIGHTH NOTE.

In the rhythmic patterns below you'll see how a single eighth note are used with an eighth rest.

Check out these patterns. Try to count and clap along.

Here's a handy tip from me. When we count rhythm in a piece we always count according to the highest value of the denominator of the shortest notes in a piece. So let's say that before we start playing a piece we saw that the shortest notes of the pieces have eighths in the denominator.
We will start playing the piece while counting eighths the whole time through, even when we have quarter notes or half notes.
Why? because when we keep the same counting parameter we make sure that we keep the time accurately.

Patterns of Rhythm with Eighth Notes

Patterns of Rhythm with Eighth Notes

Patterns of Rhythm with Eighth Notes

Patterns of Rhythm with Eighth Notes

Patterns of Rhythm with Eighth Notes

Patterns of Rhythm with Eighth Notes

Here's the melody of a musical piece with eighths, Musette by Bach.
Let's try to play that one together.

Rhythmic patterns with Eighth Notes



These classical piano music pieces offer a variety of repertoire with eighths. Check them out on Ebay for the lowest prices you'll find on the net.


Why should you buy Easy Classical Piano Music on Ebay?

- On eBay you will find every Easy Piano Piano Music from the collection that has ever existed
- You know exactly what you're getting (and you know it'll work... ;-)


Here below you'll find great musical pieces with eighths.

Piece NamePDF FileMP3 File
Are You Sleeping Download Play
Mussete by Bach Download Play
Old Macdonald Download Play
The Four Seasons - Vivaldi Download Play

Until today we learned to play melodies on the white keys and by now you're probably curious to know what's going on with the black keys. In the next piano lesson we will talk about the Black Keys Names.

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Return from the Eighth note to Piano Notes.

Piano Notes Lessons

1. Intro 14. Dynamic Signs
2. Piano Keyboard Layout 15. Gradual and Sudden Dynamic Changes
3. Playing Melodies by Ear 16. Eighth Notes
4. Rhythm 17. The Sharp Sign
5.The Treble Staff 18. The Flat Sign
6. Draw a Treble Clef 19. The Natural Sign
7. The Bass Clef 20. Accent Marks
8.The Grand Staff 21. Music Terms for Beginners
9. Harmonic Intervals 22. Sixteenth Notes
10. The Dotted Half Note 23. Tempo Marks
11.The Quarter Rest 24. The Dotted Notes
12. The Half Rest 25. Triplets
13. The Whole Rest 26. Double Accidentals
27. A Review of Musical Terms



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