Learn to Play Bb Clarinet
Simple lessons for learning music
Lesson 3
Learn about rests - Quarter, Half & Whole
Also learn new note: A, second space
INTRODUCING QUARTER REST
So far, all the music exercises you've played have had no silence throughout. Sometimes, a pause or break is needed in a piece of music. These moments of silence are referred to as rests.
There are different lengths of rests, like notes in music, but we will start with the quarter rest.
Remember a quarter note is the length of 1 beat. The same goes for a quarter rest. It has the same value as the length of a quarter note. You would stop playing, stop blowing into your instrument for 1 beat.
This is a quarter rest. It always appears in the middle of the staff.
There are rests included, in this music exercise. The beats are labeled above each count. Notice the green labeled beats, they are each above a quarter rest. There will be silence for just one beat, for each quarter rest. Nothing will be played during a rest.
Don't take your clarinet out of your mouth during a rest, especially a rest of only one beat. A rest gives a chance for you to catch your breath, if needed. Keep your proper mouth position during each rest, and continue to count in your head. Be ready to play the next note needed, immediately after the rest.
Did you notice only 1 note was used for the above exercise? Do you remember what note this is, the note that appears on the 2nd line?
Note G - You should have played a G, for counts shown with a note. This G, on clarinet, requires no holes to be covered or keys to be pressed. Also referred to as open G.
Here is another exercise to try out, including quarter rests.
The green labeled beats are above each rest. The lighter gray labeled beats are showing to hold out the note from the previous count.
Remember to hold out half notes for 2 beats, each.
The C (Middle C) is the only note used here.
INTRODUCING HALF REST
This is a half rest. It always appears on the 3rd line, facing up. It sits on top of the 3rd line, in the middle of the staff.
This is a half rest. It has the same length value as a half note. When this is seen in your sheet music there will be silence, on your part, for 2 beats.
When together with a full orchestra, band, or playing music with someone else, you could have a rest shown in your part but others could have notes written for theirs at the same measure.
These lessons cover just one instrument at a time, your clarinet. So, during rests, there will be silence and nothing else going on in that measure than what is written for you.
Sometimes, it helps to clap your beats, for practice, before actually playing the sheet music. Instead of playing your clarinet, for this exercise, try clapping on the beats you would usually be tonguing for each note. Clap each beat that is labeled with an "x" above.
Clap on beats 1 and 4, for the first measure.
Clap on beat 3, for the second measure.
Count out each beat, as you practice clapping the rhythm.
Now, you should have an idea about how your rythm will go for this music exercise.
Remember: The note on the first line is E. Play note E, for this line of music. Don't play during the half rests. Half rests count for 2 beats each.
This music piece has both quarter and half rests. First, try clapping the rythm and then play when ready.
INTRODUCING WHOLE REST
You will learn one more rest length, for this lesson. This is a whole rest. It has the same length value as a whole note, 4 beats.
This is a whole rest.
It always appears on the 4th line, hanging down.
It can often be difficult to remember the difference, in
appearance, between the half rest and whole rest. One sits up and the other hangs down. A helpful reminder you could use is, the half rest looks like a hat sitting upright. Think of "H" for Hat and also for Half. Maybe you have another trick that works best for you, if this one doesn't help.
This line of music has a whole rest. Between the two F notes, there is a whole rest. There will be 4 beats of silence in the second measure, between the two notes.
You are now ready for a piece of music that has these three note lengths all together.
Can you tell the difference between the quarter, half and whole rests?
Clap and count the rhythm first, then try playing.
Remember to rest on the green labeled beats, shown above the staff to help count.
Try playing the same exercise again, but this time without any help with labeled beats above the staff.
INTRODUCING NEW NOTE: A
Be sure to look at the diagram, on the right, to find, "1" labeled on the clarinet. Find this key on your clarinet.
Let's add one more note, to finish this lesson.
The second space is A, on the staff.
Remember the spaces spell, F.A.C.E.
Only one key is required to be pressed for this note.
Look at the diagram, at the key labeled, "1." It is a little key, just above the top hole of the upper joint.
Use your left index finger to press this key, for note A.
To view a larger version of this diagram, look at the full clarinet fingering chart page.
You should be getting the hang of counting note lengths, by now.
Practice playing note A. It should sound higher than the other notes you have learned, so far.
Here is more practice, with your new note A.
Only A and G are in this exercise, included with some rests.
The counts are labeled, for extra help.
This music exercise has a little of everything you have learned so far.
The beats are labeled for this one.
Here is the same line of music, but try to play correct notes and rhythm without anything labeled above the staff for help.
BONUS EXERCISE:
Try this one too, for extra practice with what you have learned.
How did you do?
Congratulations for completing Lesson 3!