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Dots,
ties, and fermatas
Dots, ties and fermatas are all symbols that
are used to lengthen a note's normal value.

Dots
A dot placed
after a note lengthens its duration by one half.

dotted
notes

In the third measure above, the dot and final eighth note together
form the fourth beat of the measure.
A double dot
after a note increases the length by one half the value of the preceding
dot (or three fourths of the note's original value).
double
dotted notes

Slur
versus tie
Both of these terms (slur and
tie) refer to curved lines in the music that connect noteheads,
yet they signify very different things. The difference in
them is that a tie connects
noteheads on the same pitch, whereas a slur
connects noteheads on different pitches. The tie is used to
create one longer duration of a pitch (adding the values of the
notes tied together). Ties
are frequently used to denote a note value that is not otherwise
available--a half note tied to an eighth note, for example.
The slur on the other hand means that the notes are to be
played in a smooth, connected manner (legato).

On the other hand, notice how
various tied rhythms can be rewritten using beams and dotted rhythms:





A word needs to be said about correct notation of
rhythm. In most cases, notes with values of an eighth note
or smaller will be beamed together if they are part of the same
beat. The following example is a rhythm written without the
use of beams. Notice how difficult it would be to clap
or count.
rhythm
using flagged notes only

Now take a look at the same
rhythm rewritten to beam groups of notes whenever possible into
beats (quarter-note beats):
rhythm
using beams to group beats where possible

Beat 1
|
A quarter note (or any other longer note value)
does not have a flag, therefore cannot be beamed to another
note. |
Beat 2 |
These two eighth notes form the second beat of
the measure, therefore are beamed together. |
Beat 3 |
These four sixteenth notes form the first beat
of the second measure, therefore are beamed together. |
Beat 4 |
Notice how a combination of different note values
can be beamed together as long as they are all part of the same
beat. |
Beat 5 |
Notice the partial beams used in order to beam
these notes together. |
Beat 6 |
Even though this note has a flag, there are no
other notes in the same beat with which to connect it. This
eighth note is not connected to the previous notes because they
are not part of the same beat. |
Beat 7 |
Even though these two sixteenth notes do not
make up an entire beat (only half a beat), they are still beamed
together because they are part of the same beat. |
Beat 8 |
This is another example of different note values
beamed together. Notice that the partial beam is on the
same side of the note stem as the full beam. |
Beat 9 |
Notes that do not have flags (quarter notes or
longer) cannot be beamed with any other note(s). |

Fermata
A fermata
placed over a note indicates that the note is to be held longer
than its actual value.
  
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