Learn to Play Recorder

Lesson 13: Dotted Rhythms

  • Play the dotted-quarter / eighth pair without rushing or dragging.
  • Play a march and a hymn-tune that depend on the dotted shape.

A dot adds half. That is the whole rule.

A dot adds half the note's value: a dotted half is three quarters, and a dotted quarter — a quarter plus an eighth — is the basic gesture of march, hymn, and jig. The classic mistake is rushing the short note: the eighth wants to fall just before the next beat, not turn long-short-LONG into a near-equal triplet.

Count aloud — ONE-and-two-AND — so the eighth lands on the “and” just before beat two.

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Same melodic shape, totally different character.

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Play: a hymn-style melody

The dotted-quarter / eighth is the rhythmic spine of most English hymn tunes. The breath has time to land on the long note before the eighth pickup carries you into the next bar.

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Now play these

Ode to Joy
The dotted snap should swing forward, not drag.
Scarborough Fair
Dotted figures at the phrase peaks; the F# is Lesson 11’s cross-fingering.
Amazing Grace
Dotted-half / quarter pacing — the slow cousin of today’s figure.

When dotted rhythms come out crisply and the eighth never lands too early, move on to Lesson 14.