Dotted Notes, Ties, and Dotted Rests
We have learned how to count whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, and eighth notes thus far. But what if we want to use a note that’s one and half beats or what if we want to hold a note across a barline? This is where dotted notes and ties come in handy.
Dotted Notes
Dots placed after a note add half of the note’s length. One way to think of this is to add the next smallest note value, or half the length of the note when you see a dot:
Then, in 4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 time signatures, these notes last for the following beats:
Ties
Ties also lengthen the note. The note is held for the duration of the notes at both ends of the tie:
We can add any two note values to hold the note as long as we want:
We can also hold notes across barlines into the next measure:
Dotted Rests
Rests can also be dotted, which adds half of the rest value. In 4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 time signatures, dotted rests last for the following number of beats:
Rests are never tied. They only appear dotted or in their original form.
Practice
Download the Dotted Notes and Ties Worksheet:
Dotted Notes, Ties, and Dotted Rests Worksheet 1
Practice counting half and quarter rests and notes, along with ties on this worksheet.
1 page worksheet + answer key
PDF download, print from your computer
For personal use only, do not sell or distribute.
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