Lesson 2
Rhythm
Notation

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rhythm
PDF Drills L2

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WA 2

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2

Stem direction

If the notehead is above the middle line, the stem goes down; if the notehead is below the middle line, the stem goes up; and if the notehead is on the middle line, the stem can go either way.  (With all things equal, the stem will generally go down, though).

Often notes are connected with beams, though, with one or more notes being both above, below, and/or on the middle line.  In such a case, the note that is farthest from the middle line dictates the direction of all the stems of the notes to be connected.  Following are various examples demonstrating this.

Example 1

The top note (fourth space, counting from the bottom of the staff) is farther from the middle line than is the lower note and will dictate the direction of both stems--down.

 

Example 2

The second line note is the farthest from the middle line than any of the other three notes.  Because its notehead is below the middle line, all stems will go up.

 

Example 3

These two notes are equal distant from the middle line.  The stems could go either direction, but usually go down unless some other factor is involved.  For example, if all the other stems of notes in the same measure were going up, these would go up also.

 

Example 4

Notice that this example is similar to the third because there is no single note that is farthest away from the middle line.  Here, though, the third note is below the middle line and creates a lack of balance.  Even though the farthest notes are equal distant, the stems go up in this example because there is a greater number of notes below the middle line.

 

Example 5

This last example demonstrates that the first rule of thumb is to find the note that is farthest from the middle line.  In this case, it is the first note (fifth line).  Even though the majority of noteheads are below the middle line, the first note dictates the stem direction of all the notes because it is the farthest from the middle line.

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