Whole Note

What better way to learn about whole notes than by singing a bunch of them in a song? Using mostly whole notes throughout, this short and easy tune allows your students to see, hear, and count whole notes enough to truly ingrain the meaning. The exception to singing whole notes occurs when they have a whole rest. Each time this occurs, they count, "Rest, 2, 3, 4."

There is an ongoing tapping throughout the song which we have labeled "timekeeper(s)." There are 4 beats, or quarter notes, per measure. On the recording this is played on the drums with an emphasis on beat 1 in every bar. If you wish, you can have a student or students also be timekeepers. There is a spoken 2-bar count-off prior to the first measure on the recording so they know when to begin and what the tempo is. You can use any non-pitched percussion instrument or even just tap on a table with a stick, pencil, whatever. The important thing is to keep a steady beat – like a metronome. Lots of musical learning moments here!