"Reading Music: Piano Lesson #3!"

Welcome to your third piano lesson! Okay, you've completed Lesson #2 right? If not, click here and do so!

Alright, you're moving on because you have a handle on that second lesson and are quite familiar with a time signature is and, more specifically, you know what 4/4 time really is...

Since you know that, in 4/4 time, a measure consists of 4 beats, also realize that there are number of combinations of different kinds of notes that can complete a measure. This lesson focuses on that one note that gets held for the entire 4 beats of that measure. This is known as the whole note.

In addition, let's face it... in music, there are moments of silence as well...

Thank goodness for this - imagine if there wasn't! So, when we have these moments of resting, we notate them in music with music rests. Each type of music rest represents a certain number of beats of silence. In this lesson, we focus on the whole rest, which represents 4 beats of silence.

For this piano lesson, I would like you to place your concentration on these two items: the whole note and the whole rest:

* Click here to learn about the whole note and to view a demonstration of how to play one

* Click here for a simple explanation of a whole rest

I would like to suggest that you continue with having some fun with what you've learned up to this point as well. Remember, in Lesson #1 you were encouraged to play with those five notes in different ways. Be playful with it!

Keep this idea first and foremost in your mind as you master these lessons: fun is the name of the game.

When you feel you are ready, we can continue our journey as you approach Lesson #4 with your head held high!

Return from Lesson # 3 to Read Music

Return from Lesson # 3 to Piano Lessons