Duets
A duet is a piece of music played by two instruments at the same time. For example, two guitars, a flute and a guitar, or a piano and a singer. The following example is a duet for two guitars. The top line is for you to play and the bottom line is for your teacher or a more advanced player. When you get to the end of bar four, remember to look at the top line of the second system of notation for your next bar, rather than the bottom line of the first system (the teacher’s part). Learn your part well so you don’t get distracted by the other part.
The Whole Note and Whole Rest
This is a whole note. It lasts for four beats. There is one whole note in one bar of * time.
This is a whole rest. It indicates either four beats of silence or a whole bar of silence.
It is important to keep counting regardless of whether notes or rests appear in the music.
This example uses whole notes, half notes and quarter notes. It contains all the notes you know on both the first and second strings. Remember to practice both naming the notes and counting as you play.
