Dotted Notes

Lesson 6/52 | Study Time: 5 Min
Course: Banjo
Dotted Notes

Dotted Notes

A dot placed after a note increases the value of that note by half, e.g.:

Dotted half note
(2 + 1) = 3 counts
Dotted quarter note
(1 + ½) = 1½ counts

The following example makes use of dotted half notes and dotted quarter notes. Notice that the dotted quarter note is often followed by an eighth note. This combination adds up to two beats. The chord progression is the same as the previous example.

The following song is written in a minor key. Minor keys usually have a sadder sound than major keys. Songs in minor keys usually begin and end with a minor chord. The following song is in the key of E minor.

Minor chords also occur in major keys as demonstrated in this song.

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