Fill a Four-Beat Bar

Supplied materials

• Paper and a pencil, or typed notes. Write note durations and their totals for a four-beat bar.
• Example: A 4/4 bar uses quarter-note beat values [1, 2]. How many beat units must be added to reach four? Choices: (A) 0 beats (B) 1 beat (C) 2 beats (D) 3 beats.
• Try this: A 4/4 bar uses quarter-note beat values [0.5, 0.5, 1]. How many beat units must be added to reach four? Choices: (A) 1 beat (B) 2 beats (C) 3 beats (D) 4 beats.

Learn the idea

A complete bar needs a stated total duration. Here, a 4/4 bar needs four quarter-note beats. Add the given durations, then subtract their total from four to find the missing duration.

Look at the example. The durations total 3 quarter-note beats. The bar needs four, so the remaining duration is 4−3=1. Two eighth-note values of 0.5 sum to one quarter-note beat; sound count and duration differ.

Two eighth-note durations of 0.5 make one quarter-note beat. Count the duration of the notes as well as the number of notes.

1. Read the durations [1, 2] in the example. Add them and compare the total with four beats.
2. Compare adding one beat with adding two. Explain why one added beat completes this bar.
3. Try the check question and the three practice questions. Then read the feedback.
4. Write a four-beat bar containing one two-beat duration and two half-beat durations, then fill its remaining beat.
5. Check your work. The initial total is three beats and the added one-beat duration makes four.

Check your reasoning

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Take it further

Try a new example: A 4/4 bar uses quarter-note beat values [2, 1, 0.5]. How many beat units must be added to reach four? Choices: (A) -0.5 beats (B) 0.5 beats (C) 1.5 beats (D) 2.5 beats. Answer: 0.5 beats. The durations total 3.5 quarter-note beats. The bar needs four, so the remaining duration is 4−3.5=0.5. Two eighth-note values of 0.5 sum to one quarter-note beat; sound count and duration differ. Make your own: Write a four-beat bar containing one two-beat duration and two half-beat durations, then fill its remaining beat. Check your work: The initial total is three beats and the added one-beat duration makes four.

Nothing here is saved to an account or sent to a teacher. The answer download includes your current choice and any checked feedback. It does not include choices from the separate More practice section. Download that section separately.