Dotted Notes
A dotted note has a dot immediately to the right of its notehead. The dot adds half the note's original duration.
- dot on the right
- adds half
- also applies to rests
How much time does the dot add?
A dotted half note is a half plus a quarter, so it equals three quarters. A dotted quarter is a quarter plus an eighth, so it equals three eighths. The dot changes the written duration by a ratio; the tempo decides the seconds.
How do you count a dotted quarter?
In 4/4, count '1 and 2 and'. Start the dotted quarter on 1; it occupies 1, 'and', and 2. The next eighth can start on the 'and' after 2. Feel the continuing quarter-note pulse underneath the longer note.
Does a dot on a rest work the same way?
Yes. A dotted quarter rest lasts as long as a quarter rest plus an eighth rest. Keep counting silently until the following note. This is different from a staccato dot above or below a notehead, which asks for separation and does not add written time.
What about two dots?
The first adds half the original value; the second adds half of that addition. A double-dotted quarter equals a quarter plus an eighth plus a sixteenth: seven sixteenth-note slots. This is less common, but the rule is the same.