Sight Reading 101

Ties




A tie is a curved line that connects two successive notes of the same pitch. These two notes then function as one unit, equal to the sum of their individual durations.


Example 1:
Example 1

In the above image, the half note tied to the eighth note equals a combined value of two and a half beats. You would play the F once and hold it for two and a half beats




Example 2:
Example 2

In the above image, the quarter note tied to the eighth note equals a combined value of one and a half beats. You would play the F once and hold it for one and a half beats




Example 3:
Example 3

Another way that ties are extremely helpful is to use them to sustain a note from one measure into the next measure. In the above image, the eighth note of the first measure, tied to the half note of the second measure indicates that you need to hold the pitch of that eighth note over into the second measure for a total of two and a half beats.











Course Map:
Introduction | Course Directory | The Staff | Lines, Spaces and Ledger Lines | Flash Cards I: Learning the Notes | The Fret Board | Reading Exercises On Each String | Note and Rest Values | Time Signatures | Rhythm Exercises, Part I | Triplets and Dotted Notes & Rests | Rhythm Exercises, Part II | Flash Cards II: Rhythm Values | Ties | Rhythm Exercises, Part III | Simple Melodies | Course Conclusion

Glossary of Terms





Copyright 1999 T.A. Vieira, Jr.