LESSON ONE
The Stave, 4/4 time, Semi-breve, G
All the lessons given here are in treble clef as that is all you need for a descant recorder, but there is a tab on the menu called 'Clefs' (I know not a very original title for information about clefs but it seemed appropriate), which will tell you more about the different types if you are interested.
So this is what the basic structure upon which music is written looks like.
So this is what the basic structure upon which music is written looks like.
The five horizontal lines are the stave and the squiggle - sorry I mean symbol or something - at the front is the treble clef, which basically means that a note on the second line up is a G.
And here is that stave with a G written on it. Because the note is not solid black but has a white hole in the middle and it is just a blob - I know, I know that isn't a technical term but if there is one I don't know what it is - in that it has no lines coming up or down from it, then it is what is known as a semi-breve. And a semi breve is 4 beats long. So time to pick up the recorder. Put your left thumb over the hole at the back and the first three fingers of your left hand over the top three holes and hold the instrument without your right hand as well but without covering any further holes. Now blow into the mouthpiece, count to four in your head and stop.
Well done you just played a semi-breve in G. And your first piece of music. It was a simple one I admit but you are on your way.
Well done you just played a semi-breve in G. And your first piece of music. It was a simple one I admit but you are on your way.
Now on this picture you will see that after the treble clef and before the notes there is a 4 balanced on top of another 4. This is called the time signature. The bottom number tells you the length of the beats you are counting in and the top number is how many beats there are. A bottom number 4 means single whole beats and since the top number is 4 also that means you are counting 4 beats at a time. So just one two three four, one two three four and so on. That is probably the most common time signature, along with two four for marches and three four for waltzes. Please click on the Time Signature tab if you would like more detail and examples.
And after each 4 beats there is a vertical line on the stave. This divides the music into bars - not the drinking sort although there is a rumour that musicians are partial to those - each of which has a total of 4 beats. This helps you to keep in time. Since you have a G semi-breve in each of the four bars shown, pick up the recorder, place your fingers as before and blow, counting to four, blow again counting to four and so on until you have done it four times.
Well you have now learnt a clef, a time signature and a note and that ends lesson one. Lesson two just adds more notes, the clef and time signature stay the same, so if you think you can handle that - and I believe in you that you can - click the lesson two tab and carry on.
And after each 4 beats there is a vertical line on the stave. This divides the music into bars - not the drinking sort although there is a rumour that musicians are partial to those - each of which has a total of 4 beats. This helps you to keep in time. Since you have a G semi-breve in each of the four bars shown, pick up the recorder, place your fingers as before and blow, counting to four, blow again counting to four and so on until you have done it four times.
Well you have now learnt a clef, a time signature and a note and that ends lesson one. Lesson two just adds more notes, the clef and time signature stay the same, so if you think you can handle that - and I believe in you that you can - click the lesson two tab and carry on.
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