The Three Four Time Signature
This time signature is called the three four time signature. It indicates that there are three beats in each bar. Three four time is also known as waltz time. There are three quarter notes in one bar of ^ time.
The Dotted Half Note
A dot written after a note extends its value by half. A dot after a half note means that you hold it for three beats. One dotted half note makes one bar of music in ^ time.
This song has dotted half notes in the left hand part. Once again, the counting numbers refer to the melody (right hand part). From this point on, all counting numbers will refer to the melody. The left hand part is the accompaniment to the melody.
Legato
The next song contains two curved lines called slurs. A slur indicates that the notes written above (or sometimes below) it, should be played legato. Legato means to play the notes smoothly, so that they sound connected to each other. To play notes legato, keep your finger on the key until you have started to play the next key.
This song has dotted half notes in both the left hand part and the right hand part. Play the melody legato.
The Tie
A tie is a curved line that connects two notes with the same position on the staff. A tie tells you to play the first note only, and to hold it for the length of both notes.
Play the C note and chord and hold them for six beats.
This song was written by Johann Strauss, who wrote some of the most famous waltzes. In the melody, a tie is used between bars 15 and 16 (two E notes), and between bars 31 and 32 (two F notes). The tie is also used for the chords in these bars. Do not confuse the tie with the legato slur introduced earlier in this lesson.
