Level 29 of 36 · Book IV: Moving around
Sight-reading exercises with dotted rhythms
The dotted quarter note followed by an eighth: long, short. One of the most common rhythms in music, and one that’s easy to play almost-right.
- Hands together
- G, F or C major
- 4/4 time
- = 54 to start
8 different exercises, each 8 bars. Listen first, or play it yourself: the music waits for each note.
What level 29 adds
A dotted quarter lasts one and a half beats, and the eighth after it fills the last half beat. The right hand mixes it with quarters, halves and pairs of eighths. Exercises are in C, G or F major.
What to watch for
- The eighth after the dot comes on the “and” of the second beat, late. Don’t shorten the dotted note.
- Dotted quarter vs. quarter: the dot is small and sits just right of the head.
- The key signature changes between exercises.
How to practise it
- Count “one, two-and”: the dotted quarter on “one”, held through “two”, the eighth on “and”.
- Listen to an exercise first; the long–short sound sticks quickly.
- If the beat wobbles, slow down until the eighth falls exactly on the “and”.
Each exercise is new music, written for this level by the same generator the app uses, so you can’t have learned it by ear. Read it once before you play, keep a steady beat, and play on through mistakes. Play it yourself checks your notes from a MIDI keyboard, the mouse or your computer keys, and Print gives you the music alone, to read at the piano.
A new piece every day, at your level
Pianomi is the app these exercises come from. It listens to your MIDI keyboard, grades every note and every beat, and moves you up the 36 levels as your reading improves. It’s free.