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Grade 6 · lesson 1 of 4

Add Half the Base Duration

In the supplied Western notation model, one dot adds half the undotted note’s duration.

About 20 minutes, plus any extended practice

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Supplied materials

  • Paper and a pencil, typed notes or a browser scratch area. Color names can replace colored supplies; drawn figures and timelines can replace performance.
  • Complete teaching inputs: In this Western-duration model, one dot adds half the original duration. A note lasts 4 quarter-note beat units before its dot. What is its dotted duration? Supplied candidates: (A) 2 beats (B) 4 beats (C) 6 beats (D) 8 beats.
  • Independent check: In this Western-duration model, one dot adds half the original duration. A note lasts 2 quarter-note beat units before its dot. What is its dotted duration? Supplied candidates: (A) 1 beat (B) 2 beats (C) 3 beats (D) 4 beats.

Learn the idea

Move from labels to transformations and reasons. Calculate dotted durations, compare semitone positions, reverse an ordered movement motif and connect a fictional character’s goal and obstacle to a playable action. In the supplied Western notation model, one dot adds half the undotted note’s duration. Calculate the base plus its half in the stated quarter-note beat unit.

Reason through the supplied case: The added duration is half of 4, or 2. Base plus addition gives 4+2=6 quarter-note beat units. The base-only choice omits the dot, doubled duration adds too much, and dot-only duration omits the original note. This checks written duration, not performed timing.

The calculation depends on the given beat unit and a single dot. It does not measure actual performed length, and other notation conventions require their stated context.

  1. Read the complete teaching inputs and mark the feature, rule or constraint being tested.
  2. Compare the model decision with one rejected candidate; state the visible evidence or calculation that distinguishes them.
  3. Solve the independent check and the three changed-input practice cases before reading feedback.
  4. Show a dotted two-beat note as two beats plus one added beat on a timeline.
  5. Check your artifact against these explicit criteria: The total is three quarter-note beat units and the added duration equals half the base.
Worked example

See the method in action

In this Western-duration model, one dot adds half the original duration. A note lasts 4 quarter-note beat units before its dot. What is its dotted duration? Supplied candidates: (A) 2 beats (B) 4 beats (C) 6 beats (D) 8 beats. Model decision: 6 beats. The added duration is half of 4, or 2. Base plus addition gives 4+2=6 quarter-note beat units. The base-only choice omits the dot, doubled duration adds too much, and dot-only duration omits the original note. This checks written duration, not performed timing.

Your turn

Check your reasoning

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Helpful tips
  • In the supplied Western notation model, one dot adds half the undotted note’s duration.
  • The calculation depends on the given beat unit and a single dot.
In this Western-duration model, one dot adds half the original duration. A note lasts 2 quarter-note beat units before its dot. What is its dotted duration?

Feedback appears here after you check. This is practice, not a graded school assessment.

See the answer and explanation

3 beats

The added duration is half of 2, or 1. Base plus addition gives 2+1=3 quarter-note beat units. The base-only choice omits the dot, doubled duration adds too much, and dot-only duration omits the original note. This checks written duration, not performed timing.

Take it further

New-input analysis: In this Western-duration model, one dot adds half the original duration. A note lasts 0.125 quarter-note beat units before its dot. What is its dotted duration? Supplied candidates: (A) 0.0625 beats (B) 0.125 beats (C) 0.1875 beats (D) 0.25 beats. Expected relationship: 0.1875 beats. The added duration is half of 0.125, or 0.0625. Base plus addition gives 0.125+0.0625=0.1875 quarter-note beat units. The base-only choice omits the dot, doubled duration adds too much, and dot-only duration omits the original note. This checks written duration, not performed timing. Create your own artifact: Show a dotted two-beat note as two beats plus one added beat on a timeline. Completion criteria: The total is three quarter-note beat units and the added duration equals half the base.

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.

More practice: try new cases

Choose an answer for each problem. Explain your method on paper, then use the feedback to decide what to revisit.

More practice: try new cases
1. In this Western-duration model, one dot adds half the original duration. A note lasts 0.5 quarter-note beat units before its dot. What is its dotted duration?
Need a hint?
  • In the supplied Western notation model, one dot adds half the undotted note’s duration.
  • The calculation depends on the given beat unit and a single dot.
2. In this Western-duration model, one dot adds half the original duration. A note lasts 1 quarter-note beat unit before its dot. What is its dotted duration?
Need a hint?
  • In the supplied Western notation model, one dot adds half the undotted note’s duration.
  • The calculation depends on the given beat unit and a single dot.
3. In this Western-duration model, one dot adds half the original duration. A note lasts 8 quarter-note beat units before its dot. What is its dotted duration?
Need a hint?
  • In the supplied Western notation model, one dot adds half the undotted note’s duration.
  • The calculation depends on the given beat unit and a single dot.

Your choices are temporary. Feedback appears after you check all the answers.

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These LifeStarter passages, scenarios and exercises are authored for this Academy with AI assistance and review. External resources keep their publishers’ terms. A grade label suggests a starting level; it does not establish alignment with your school’s complete requirements.