How to count dotted quarter notes
The dotted quarter note is one of the first rhythms in a band book that can't be counted one note per beat. It starts on a beat, holds through the next one, and the eighth note after it lands on an "&." Once you can feel that, you'll see this rhythm everywhere, in marches, folk songs, and the melodies in your concert music.
What a dot does
A dot after a note adds half of that note's value. A half note is 2 beats, so a dotted half note is 2 + 1 = 3 beats. A quarter note is 1 beat, so a dotted quarter note is 1 + ½ = 1½ beats.
| Note | Plain | Dotted |
|---|---|---|
| Half note | 2 beats | 3 beats |
| Quarter note | 1 beat | 1½ beats |
| Eighth note | ½ beat | ¾ beat |
The dot always goes to the right of the notehead. Don't confuse it with a staccato dot, which goes above or below the notehead and means "short."
Counting a dotted quarter
Because a dotted quarter lasts a beat and a half, you need to count in eighth notes to see where it ends: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &. A dotted quarter that starts on 1 holds through "& 2" and ends just before the "&" of 2.
Count every eighth out loud, even the ones you hold through. Say "1 & 2" while the note sounds, then play the next note on "&." If your band uses syllables instead of numbers, see other ways to count rhythm.
The dotted quarter and eighth pattern
Almost every dotted quarter you'll see is followed by a single eighth note. Together they fill exactly two beats (1½ + ½ = 2), so the pattern can repeat. It's a long-short, long-short feel.
You already know this rhythm by ear. In the chorus of "Jingle Bells," the words "all the" in "jingle all the way" are a dotted quarter and an eighth: "all" holds for a beat and a half, and "the" is the quick note before "way."
Thinking of it as a tie
A dotted quarter sounds exactly like a quarter note tied to an eighth note. If the dot confuses you, rewrite the rhythm in pencil with the tie and count that version first. The tie shows you where the beat falls.
This is also why the eighth note feels "off the beat." It comes on the "&," just like the off-beat notes in syncopation. For more on ties, see ties vs. slurs.
Common mistakes
- Playing it as a quarter and an eighth. The eighth note sneaks in on beat 2, and the rhythm turns into a quick triplet-like skip. Hold through beat 2 before moving.
- Playing two even quarters. The dotted quarter is cut short, the eighth is held long, and the long-short feel disappears.
- Rushing the eighth. The eighth note is short, but it still gets its full half beat. Don't let it crowd the next beat.
- Counting only the numbers. If you say just "1, 2, 3, 4," there's nowhere for the eighth note to go. Count the "&"s.
Practice
- Clap the pattern while counting every eighth out loud: "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &."
- Tap your foot on the beats only. The eighth note should come when your foot is up.
- Clap the tied version, then the dotted version, and check that they sound the same.
- Play it on one note on your instrument before trying it in your music.
In Rhythm Trainer, listen for the long-short pattern and pick the card that matches. When that feels easy, try writing it yourself in Rhythm Builder.