You have probably noticed yourself tapping a steady beat with your foot when listening to music. Your foot is tapping in time with the music. In music notation, we use music notes of different durations against that beat. In this article, we are going to look at the most common rhythms you will find in music. It is assumed that you have a basic music knowledge. The audio examples are played on a guitar (Note E which is the 6th string open). However, it does not matter if you do not play the guitar. You can either play note E on whatever instrument you can play or simply clap the rhythms. Each audio track has a metronome beat playing along. In fact, each example starts with one bar of the metronome counting you in. This is to tell you how fast the example will be played.
Note Values
The chart below shows you the most common note values and their durations.
Note: When two or more eighth notes or sixteenth notes are notated next to each other, their tails are replaced by a beam as shown below.
Whole Notes
The first of the common rhythms we are going to look at consists of whole notes. Whole notes can also be called semibreves. Each whole note is worth 4 counts. Press play on the audio track below and listen to the rhythm notated below. As mentioned earlier, the audio track has a metronome playing along to help you stay in time with the music. After listening to it, and when you are ready, press play again and either play along (note E) or clap the rhythm.
Half Notes
Half notes can also be called minims. Each half note is worth 2 counts. Press play on the audio track below and listen to the rhythm notated below. After listening to it, press play again and either play along or clap the rhythm.
Quarter Notes
Quarter notes can also be called crotchets. Each quarter note is worth 1 count. Press play on the audio track below and listen to the rhythm notated below. After listening to it, press play again and either play along or clap the rhythm.
Eighth Notes
Eighth notes can also be called quavers. Each eighth note is worth half a count. Press play on the audio track below and listen to the rhythm notated below. The first 3 bars are eighth notes and the fourth bar is a whole note. After listening to it, press play again and either play along or clap the rhythm.
Sixteenth Notes
Sixteenth notes can also be called semiquavers. Each sixteenth note is worth a quarter of one count. Press play on the audio track below and listen to the rhythm notated below. After listening to it, press play again and either play along or clap the rhythm.
Triplets
You play three eighth notes in the time of two eighth notes when you play a triplet. That is, you play three eighth notes in one beat. Triplets are notated as three eighth notes joined together with the number 3 written above it. Press play on the audio track below and listen to the rhythm notated below. After listening to it, press play again and either play along or clap the rhythm.
One Eighth Note and Two Sixteenth Notes
The two rhythms that follow are a combinations of the common rhythms that you have just learnt. Below is a rhythm that combines eighth notes and sixteenth notes. Press play on the audio track below and listen to the rhythm notated below. After listening to it, press play again and either play along or clap the rhythm.
Two Sixteenth Notes and One Eighth Note Rhythm
The rhythm below features 2 sixteenth notes followed by 1 eighth note. Press play on the audio track below and listen to the rhythm notated below. After listening to it, press play again and either play along or clap the rhythm.
Dotted Eighth Note And Sixteenth Note
A dotted eighth note is also called a dotted quaver. It is worth three quarters of one count. Press play on the audio track below and listen to the rhythm notated below. After listening to it, press play again and either play along or clap the rhythm.
Sixteenth Note and Dotted Eighth Note
The last of the common rhythms in this article features a sixteenth note followed by a dotted eighth note. As previously, press play on the audio track below and listen to the rhythm notated below. After listening to it, press play again and either play along or clap the rhythm.
If you are interested in further developing your rhythm skills, you can find out more about our lessons here.