Reading and Writing Whole Notes
One of the most commonly used rhythmic durations in modern music, and the one that is often the most fundamental when learning how to read rhythms, is the whole note.
The whole note fills one whole bar of 4/4 time, as you can see in the first bar of the example below.
It can also be “subdivided” into many other smaller units of rhythms, such as 2 half-notes, 4 quarter-notes and 8 8th-notes in the example below.
In order to get this rhythm into your playing and practice routine, try the following exercise the next time you work on scales in the practice room.
Pick a scale, for example a C major scale, and 1 fingering for that scale to work on.
Start by playing only whole notes, so 1 note every 4 beats of the metronome, at a slow tempo, say 40 beats per minute.
When that is comfortable, increase the speed of the metronome.
To learn how the whole note relates to other rhythms, you can then play 1 bar of whole notes and 1 bar of half notes, or 1 bar of quarter notes etc.
Finally, you can play 1 bar of whole notes, 1 bar of half notes, 1 bar of quarter notes and 1 bar of 8th notes, rotating through these four rhythms as you practice scales in the practice room.
Do you have a question or comment about whole notes, or the scale exercise above? If so share it in the comments section below.
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