#15 LEARN FREE MUSIC THEORY
TLDRThe video explains the concept of a 'pickup beat' in music theory, also known as an upbeat or anacrusis. It provides examples of how a pickup beat 'steals' a beat from the subsequent measure, acting as an intro. The lesson demonstrates how to identify pickup beats when notating sheet music, using elements like ties across bar lines and notes that fill entire measures as clues. Exercises are provided for practice identifying measures, time signatures, and appropriate placement of bar lines when a pickup beat is present. The overall lesson aims to clarify this concept so students can incorporate pickup beats into their musical understanding and notation.
Takeaways
- 😀 Pickup beats/upbeats are like 'stolen' or 'intro' beats that lead into the first downbeat
- 🎵 They are counted using the last number of the measure they precede (e.g. a beat 3 pickup)
- 🎼 Ties are a clue for bar line placement - they join notes across bar lines
- 🎹 Notes or rests that take up a full measure indicate bar line placement
- 🎼 Only have one note or rest for the pickup, not a group
- 👂 Play pickup beats weakly, saving accent for downbeat that follows
- 🎵 Pickups help join non-full-measure groups of notes into proper time signatures
- 📝 Practice placing bar lines and adding pickups with different time signatures
- ✏️ Figuring out proper bar line placement is a common music theory test question
- 🎓 Once level one music theory is mastered, chords, intervals and terms are next
Q & A
What are some different names used for pickup beats?
-Upbeat, pickup beat, and anacrusis are three different names used for pickup beats.
Why are pickup beats considered 'stolen' beats?
-Pickup beats are considered 'stolen' because they take the place of a beat that should be at the end of the previous measure. So it's like the beat runs away from its home bar to the beginning of the next bar.
How do you properly count pickup beats?
-Count the pickup beat with the number of the beat it is replacing. So if replacing beat 3, count it as '3' leading into the next bar.
Can a pickup beat consist of more than one note?
-Yes, a pickup beat can have more than one note, as long as the total duration fits within one beat based on the time signature.
What are two things to look for when figuring out bar line locations?
-Look for ties connecting notes across bar lines, as well as notes or groups of notes that fill an entire measure.
Can rests be used on pickup beats?
-No, pickup beats should only contain a note or group of notes, not rests.
What should you not do when playing pickup beats?
-Do not play the pickup beat as a strong beat. Keep pickup beats weak, leading into the real strong downbeat.
What is the homework assignment described in the video?
-The homework is to write out 10 lines of notes in various time signatures, with 4 bars per line, and add different pickup beats to each line.
What is the benefit of practicing writing pickup beats?
-It helps develop an understanding of how measures, beats, and rhythmic duration work together in musical notation and performance.
What percent of level one music theory material is covered so far?
-Over 70 percent of the level one music theory material is covered at this point in the video series.
Outlines
🎵 Introducing pick-up beats (upbeats/anacrusis)
The paragraph introduces the concept of pick-up beats, also known as upbeats or anacrusis. It explains that a pick-up beat is like an intro beat or a "stolen" beat that leads into the first downbeat. Examples are provided of how to notate and count pick-up beats in different time signatures.
📝 Exercises for identifying bar lines with pick-up beats
The paragraph presents 3 rhythmic exercises for practicing identifying bar lines when a pick-up beat is present. It then goes through the answer key, explaining the logic and methods for properly placing bar lines around elements like ties and dotted notes that span multiple beats or bars.
👋🏻 Wrap up and homework on working with pick-up beats
The paragraph concludes the pick-up beat lesson, noting we are close to finishing level one music theory topics. It assigns homework to practice using pick-up beats across various time signatures and provides guidance on the activity.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡upbeats
💡ties
💡time signature
💡dotted half note
💡downbeat
💡bar lines
💡measures
💡rhythm
💡beat
💡notation
Highlights
An upbeat or pickup beat is like an intro beat that leads into the first full bar.
Upbeats are counted using the last number in the bar they precede, taking a beat from that bar.
Look for ties between notes as a clue for where to place bar lines when notating sheet music.
Also look for a group of notes or a single note that takes up a full bar to indicate bar line placement.
Upbeats or pickup beats should only contain one note, not a rest.
Over 70% of the Level 1 music theory content has been covered in the first 15 lessons.
Students should practice notating sheet music examples with different time signatures and pickup beats.
Keep track mentally of bar line placements when adding pickup beats and notes before notating bar lines.
Ties join two notes together across bar lines when a note needs to be held longer than a bar.
Dotted half notes take up all three beats in 3/4 time, indicating bar line placement.
Groupings of 3 eighth notes join together to make up full bars in compound meter.
Experiment with different pickup beat and note combinations when practicing notation.
Keep learning and having fun with music theory!
Upbeats lead into the first downbeat of a piece of music.
The lesson covers the concept of pickup beats or upbeats in sheet music.
Transcripts
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