Estimated reading time 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Do you have a hard time reading rhythm notation? (Or are you a teacher who has students that struggle with rhythm?) This remains a common issue with many musicians, but especially with LD, ADD, ASD, and special needs students. Read more to learn color coded quarter note clapping.
- I wrote the post How to Color Code Rhythm: to Empower LD & Special Needs Students with music teachers of special needs students in mind.
- However, I use color coded rhythm with almost all of my students, because it makes learning rhythm so much easier.
- Then, it occurred to me that you might like having a series of online rhythm exercises that beginner musicians could practice clapping.
This post uses musical words. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the article.
Video: How Effective is Color Coding the Rhythm?
The Quarter Note Level of Rhythm and Color Coded Quarter Note Clapping
Even though the title says, Color Coded Quarter Note Clapping, really you will clap notes at the quarter note level of rhythm. This means the shortest note will be the quarter note. However, you will also clap half notes, dotted half notes, and whole notes.
In later posts, you will clap at the sixteenth note level of rhythm, and we will deal with tied notes in varied settings. Also see:
Color Coded Quarter Note Clapping: How It Works
The amount of counting numbers a note gets is determined by the note’s shape.
- The standard approach to clapping rhythm entails writing counting numbers above the notes to help keep track of when to clap.
- However, many people find this confusing.
In Color Coded Quarter Note Clapping, I’ve colored the counting numbers to make it easier for you to know when to clap. How it works:
- Red = clap
- Blue = do not clap
The Rhythmic Exercises and Color Coded Quarter Note Clapping
As you attempt the color coded quarter note clapping, count the numbers out loud one after the other, going from left to right.
- Clap when you say the red numbers, and do not clap when you say the blue numbers.
- In addition, I have included sound tracks that demonstrate the rhythms.
- DO NOT listen to the tracks before you try clapping.
- Instead, use the sound tracks to check yourself after you have clapped the rhythm.
As you clap, pay attention to how many counts each type of note gets:
- Quarter note: a black notehead and a stem = 1 count
- Half note: a white notehead and a stem = 2 counts
- Dotted half note: a half note with a dot to the right of the note = 3 counts
- Whole note: a white notehead but without a stem = 4 counts
Also, I have provided an example of a tied note.
- I put an “X” over the second note of the tied pair to show that it does not get clapped.
- In addition, the examples go through the most common rhythmic patterns for the 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures.
- Once you can clap the exercises with confidence, try the quiz.
Mobile users: for best results reading the music examples, tilt your screen 90o to the right.
4/4 Exercise
4/4 Rhythms for Color Coded Quarter Note Clapping:
3/4 Exercise
3/4 Rhythms for Color Coded Quarter Note Clapping:
Color Coded Quarter Note Clapping: Quiz
Conclusion
The beauty of color coded quarter note clapping is that it reduces the information that you need for executing the rhythm.
It shrinks the info from about a dozen note-shapes down to just two simple guidelines:
- Red = clap
- Blue = do not clap
This multisensory teaching strategy is a good option for just about any musician.
© 2021 Geoffrey Keith
Join me for in-person or online lessons today.
Glossary
Anyone Can Learn to Sing, Including You
Anyone can learn to sing, including you. An old Zimbabwe proverb says, “If you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing.” So, if you can talk, why don’t you give singing a try? Read more to find out how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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Basic Acoustics, Music Pitch, and Sound Vibration Frequencies
Do you want a better understanding of musical pitch? In the field of music, there exists a relationship between acoustics, music pitch, and sound vibration frequencies. From the moving passages of a string quartet to the driving pulse of a rhythm section, life is filled with an enormous array of musical sounds that you can enjoy. Keep reading to learn how music pitch works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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Sight Singing Chromatic Shape Notes
Do you have basic sight singing down, but want more than seven notes? “Sight Singing Chromatic Shape Notes” shows you how to sing sharps. In the last shape note post, we sang the first half of the chorus from "You’re a Grand Old Flag." In this post, we will sing the second half of the chorus. However, we will need to learn how to sing sharp notes to do this. Read more to learn about sight singing chromatic shape notes. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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What’s the Key Difference Between Countertenor, Baritone, etc?
Do you want to know what voice type you are? All the voice types discussed in this post are from the pool of male singers used in chorus, opera, musical theatre, and pop music. Some of these male vocalists can sing very high, while others can sing very low. However, it’s the quality of his voice that makes a male singer one voice type versus another. Keep reading “What’s the Key Difference Between Countertenor, Baritone, etc?” to learn what makes a singer a countertenor, tenor, baritone, or bass and how to tell them apart. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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