Dotted rhythms – how to count dotted notes
A dot after a note makes it one and a half times as long. A dotted quarter lasts a quarter plus an eighth; a dotted eighth lasts an eighth plus a sixteenth. Dotted notes almost always come with a short note that fills up the beat.
| Note | Length | Usually paired with |
|---|---|---|
| dotted quarter | 1½ beats | an eighth note |
| dotted eighth | ¾ of a beat | a sixteenth note |
| dotted sixteenth | ⅜ of a beat | a thirty-second note |
Dotted quarter + eighth
Count in eighths: the dotted quarter takes "1 & 2", the eighth falls on the "&" of 2.
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Dotted eighth + sixteenth
Count in sixteenths: the dotted eighth takes "1 e &", the sixteenth falls on the "a". Played in a row, it sounds like a galloping horse.
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Turned around – sixteenth first – it becomes the "Scotch snap":
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Don't confuse it with swing
A dotted eighth + sixteenth is a 3:1 ratio. Swing at 66% is 2:1 and sounds softer. Play the two one after the other:
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Practice
▶ Dotted figures appear from level 4
FAQ
What does a double dot mean?
A second dot adds half of the first dot again: a double-dotted quarter lasts 1 + ½ + ¼ = 1¾ beats.