Click on an item below for a more detailed summary
The beat unit is divisible into two parts. This implies that the
note that receives one beat is undotted. In simple time the beat
unit is a quarter, or an eighth, or sixteenth, or half, etc. The
lower number in the time signature will represent the beat unit, e.g. an
8 at the bottom means that the eighth note gets one beat. In simple
time the upper number tells directly how many beats there are in the measure.
4 means there are four beats per measure and the half note gets the beat.
The beat unit is divisible into three parts. This implies that
the note that receives one beat is a dotted note since a dotted note equals
three of the next smaller division. In compound time the beat unit
is a dotted eighth, or a dotted quarter, dotted half, etc. The lower
number in the time signature will represent the division of the beat unit,e.g.
an 8 at the bottom means that the eighth note is the division of the beat
and will require three of them (dotted quarter) to equal the beat. In compound
time the upper number divided by three tells how many beats per measure
there are. 9 means that there are three beats per measure and
the dotted eighth note gets one beat.
16
Triad spelling
Triad
Seventh Chord
First Inversion
6
6
Second Inversion
6
4
Third Inversion
none
4
If you still have questions, contact Dr. Bartolottaat
wbartolo@odu.edu
2
Triad identification
Triad writing
5
4
3
2
This page is designed to assist students enrolledin
Music 221 - Music Theory. If you had difficulty in class with the contentsof
this lesson, this may help you to comprehend the material. If you missedthe
presentation in class, this may help to update the material for you.
William S. Bartolotta
Music Department
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA 23529