Notes on the A String

Ledger Lines

The notes on the A string are below the staff and therefore require “ledger lines”. Ledger lines are how composers extend the staff’s range of possible notes.

Exercises

Exercise 1. The dotted half note. When you see a “dot” to the right of that note, it means that the note is played a little longer. A dotted half note is 3 beats. The logic is that you take half the rhythmic value of the note (a half note divided by two is 1) and then add that to the note (1 + 2 is 3). I’ve labeled the counting above the staff for you.

Exercise 2. One Octave C Major Scale

Exercise 3. The C chord.

Exercise 4. This song, Greensleeves, has a “3/4” Time Signature. There are only 3 beats in each measure.