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Thread: Dotted Notes

  1. #1

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    Question Dotted Notes

    I was told by one musician that when you have a dotted note you are supposed to hit the stick to the drum and hold it there rather than letting it bounce back up. Another musician told that is incorrect. does anyone know the answer to this and if so, does anyone know where I can find it on the internet to verify it to show to the musician that is incorrect? I am new at drumming and am very careful not to learn something the wrong way and then have to unlearn it and relearn it the correct way!
    Barbara in Sunny, hot Florida

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Dotted Notes

    Welcome to the forum! I have never heard anyone use the first method, There's really no point to holding your stick to the skin that I am aware of. I hope someone else can key in with some advice. F/T

  3. #3

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    With the drum, you hit it and lift it back up. With a cymbal, you hit it and let it ring out the amount of time it is notated for "only" (you would stop it with your hand at the end of the notated value). To understand how to play a dotted note, you must understand what a dotted note means first. It simply means that a melodic note is carried out a said period of time. Because a drum hit one time can not carry out a note (like a melodic instrument), all we have to do is hit it one time until the next note comes around. The other exception to this is a roll. If it is written in the music that you are to play a roll, then you would play it for the amount of space notated instead of just hitting the drum once.

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Dotted Notes

    Okay drummers...class is now in session:

    The Note: Every note (Whole note, Half note, Quarter note, Eighth note, sixteenth
    note) has a value or how many beats it is worth. Using a simple 4/4 time signature, the top number 4 indicates the number of beats in each measure of music and the bottom numer 4 indcates the note that receives one beat (in this case, the Quarter note). This is very important to understand the function of the Dot.

    Many times, the music will alter the value of the notes we play, meaning they will have both increased or decreased values of beats. There needs to be a way to indicate this to the musicians so thay will know what to do. The Dot is placed on right side of a note (Quarter, Eight, whatever) and it adds 1/2 the value of the note onto the note. So, if a Quarter note receives 1 beat, the Dotted Quarter note will now have the value of 1 1/2 beats ( 1 beat + 1/2 beat). A Half note has the value of 2 beats and the Dotted Half note has the value of 3 beats (2 beats + 1 beat). This is the function of the Dot. Placement of the Dot is crucial as well...must be sitting next to the note. If written above or below the note, the Dot then decreases the value of the note...Quarter note with Dot on top or below, decreases the value by 1/2.
    All of this is for those who can read music.

    If there is any interest, the follow up topic to this is how do we Count these notes?

    Let me know...


    Class dismissed.....
    Last edited by fiacovaz; 08-02-2009 at 03:19 PM.
    There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value.

    http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...vaz/TheSet.jpg

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Dotted Notes

    Prof. Frank's School of site reading...has a nice ring to it

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Dotted Notes

    what prof. frank said. I just learned this last week, at first when my teach said the dot next to the notes adds 1/2 the value of the note onto the note
    I went

    but it really isnt so bad if you break it down and really understand it.
    So for instance I'm working on "Syncopation for the Modern Drummer" and pg. 12 is dotted 8th notes. I wont get into trying to explain the dotted 8th because I don't want to confuse you. (by the way, you get some really cool grooves when you apply those beats to the kit)

    but as far as drums are concerned the dot's really have nothing to do with holding notes, it's all about counting them except for in the cases that drummer mentioned.

    http://bipolarbarbierocks.com

    Quote Originally Posted by fiacovaz View Post
    Quit belly aching and just do it...no other way.
    - RIP Frank

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Dotted Notes

    "If there is any interest, the follow up topic to this is how do we Count these notes?"

    I'm guessin one at a time!
    Yamaha DTXtreme III FrankenXpress w/ various pads and cymbals
    Pearl Eliminator w/Vater Bomber
    Roc-N-Soc Motion
    Vater 7A Sugar Maple
    Simmons DA-200S
    Sony MDR-7506
    MacBookPro Core2 Duo 2.33,4gb,500gb w/SD2, Reason 4, and LE9

    http://s591.photobucket.com/albums/ss358/Charlygo/



  8. #8

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    Default Re: Dotted Notes

    It's simple: Add half of the proceeding note's value. So if you add a 16 onto a dotted eighth, you would count it, "1 e and" (to best understand the values). You then need a 16th note or rest to resolve it because there's 4 16th notes to a quarter note.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Dotted Notes

    I think you can tell a drummers age (or how old school his or her teacher is or was) if they use "1 e and a". I hear about other ways, but that's the only way I count!
    Jesse

    1986 Tama Crestar - Lacquered Piano White
    2016 Roland TD-25K
    2015 Tama Starclassic B/B - Indigo Blue Sparkle

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Dotted Notes

    Thanks! So if none of you heard of any "instruction" about hitting the snare with the drum stick and holding it there (dotted note), the only reason for a dotted note is to know when to hit the next drum in music....counting....then you would hit the snare, let it bounce back up and count until the next hit.

    LOL, I told my teacher I didn't care about the dotted note because the way it is in my drum instruction book, there is no note afterward so who cares....in other words, there is no counting to do to know when to hit the next drum cause there isn't any...so no need for a dotted note....he told me I would have to know the count to know when to hit the next drum when there is one...I told him I'd cross that bridge when I come to it. I'm always giving him a hard time (in return for his!). I do understand the iimportance of knowing it...my guitar son (very accomplished!!!) always stresses to me the importance of getting a good foundation of any musical instrument, etc. and that is what I'm doing but I do give my teacher a gig here and there about it.

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Dotted Notes

    well, my teach says you need to move your hands in time with the groove, so it would seem to me that you should be moving(lifting) during that dot's half beat, and not waiting.
    Yamaha DTXtreme III FrankenXpress w/ various pads and cymbals
    Pearl Eliminator w/Vater Bomber
    Roc-N-Soc Motion
    Vater 7A Sugar Maple
    Simmons DA-200S
    Sony MDR-7506
    MacBookPro Core2 Duo 2.33,4gb,500gb w/SD2, Reason 4, and LE9

    http://s591.photobucket.com/albums/ss358/Charlygo/



  12. #12

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    Default Re: Dotted Notes

    there may not be a note after it but you still have to know how to count the rest after that dotted note

    http://bipolarbarbierocks.com

    Quote Originally Posted by fiacovaz View Post
    Quit belly aching and just do it...no other way.
    - RIP Frank

  13. #13

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    Default Re: Dotted Notes

    Quote Originally Posted by Lucky77 View Post
    Thanks! So if none of you heard of any "instruction" about hitting the snare with the drum stick and holding it there (dotted note), the only reason for a dotted note is to know when to hit the next drum in music....counting....then you would hit the snare, let it bounce back up and count until the next hit.

    LOL, I told my teacher I didn't care about the dotted note because the way it is in my drum instruction book, there is no note afterward so who cares....in other words, there is no counting to do to know when to hit the next drum cause there isn't any...so no need for a dotted note....he told me I would have to know the count to know when to hit the next drum when there is one...I told him I'd cross that bridge when I come to it. I'm always giving him a hard time (in return for his!). I do understand the iimportance of knowing it...my guitar son (very accomplished!!!) always stresses to me the importance of getting a good foundation of any musical instrument, etc. and that is what I'm doing but I do give my teacher a gig here and there about it.
    ************************

    Everybody has their way but, I will say that, if you really believe what you said here, you have a lot to learn about Music...drums are simply an instrument....IMHO.
    There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value.

    http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...vaz/TheSet.jpg

  14. #14

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    Default Re: Dotted Notes

    Quote Originally Posted by Quadcam79 View Post
    I'm working on "Syncopation for the Modern Drummer" and pg. 12 is dotted 8th notes.
    Awesome book! I just went through those yesterday. What I do is four on the floor with the hihat on 2 & 4, and play it like that. Fun!
    - Zack

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