The big ideaA play note block has a pitch, high or low, and a length in beats.
How it works
A play note block makes a sound. A note has two things: how high or low, and how long.
Pitch is how high or low a note sounds. Length is how long it rings, counted in beats, from one beat for short to four for long.
A rest is a pause, so it makes no sound. A repeat block plays a tune again, with no copying blocks.
Four of the same note just beep, so change the pitch and the length to make a tune.
Two things a note has.
Example 1: A flat tune
Teo snaps four play note blocks, all the same.
The same pitch and the same length four times.
Out comes beep, beep, beep, beep, a very flat tune.
Example 2: Counting beats
Teo's notes ring for 1, 2, 1 and 4 beats.
Add them up: 1 + 2 + 1 + 4 = 8.
The tune is 8 beats long.
Example 3: A repeat
Teo wraps the tune in a repeat block so it plays twice.
One time through is 8 beats, so twice is 8 + 8 = 16.
He did not have to copy any blocks.
Example 4: A rest
A tune has a high note, a low note and a rest.
The rest is a pause, so only 2 notes sound each time through.
Played twice, that is 2 + 2 = 4 notes that sound.
Words to know
pitch
How high or low a note sounds.
length
How long a note rings.
beat
The unit that measures how long a note rings.
rest
A pause with no sound.
repeat block
Plays a tune again without copying blocks.
Watch out
Pitch is how high or low, not how loud.
A rest makes no sound. It is silence that is part of the tune.
Count the beats with the notes' lengths, not by how many notes there are.
A tune of the same note over and over sounds flat.
Try it
Is pitch how loud a note is, or how high or low it is?
Notes ring for 1, 2, 1 and 4 beats. How many beats in all?
Does a rest make a sound?
Four play note blocks are all the same. Does it sound like a song or a beeping robot?
A tune of 8 beats plays twice with a repeat block. How many beats is that?
Answers: 1. How high or low · 2. 8 · 3. No · 4. A beeping robot · 5. 16
Try at homeClap a pattern together: clap, clap, long hold, rest. Hum it with a high note and a low note. Then repeat the whole thing twice, like a repeat block. Make up a new pattern and teach it to a grown-up.
For grown-upsDo the Mission: clap a pattern together with long notes, short notes and a rest, and hum it with a high note and a low note. Then repeat the whole thing twice, like a repeat block, and make up a new pattern to teach each other.
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