Hi, I'm trying to improve my guitar playing by learning theory and sight reading. Does anyone know if it's appropriate to beam two semiquavers together in x/4 time? (Aka when the beat is a crotchet. I'm in 3/4 time to be specific.) I know you should beam them when they make up one whole beat or one whole group (or bar subdivision) with other semiquavers or quavers, but I'm not sure if there are any other scenarios in which they should be beamed and the book isn't that clear.

The bar goes like this (in 3/4): dotted crotchet, semiquaver, semiquaver, crotchet.

So the semiquavers only last a half beat together, not a full beat, and there aren't any adjacent notes that can be beamed. But the semiquavers just look like they should be beamed! What's correct here?

Yes, I would beam them.

I just entered this pattern into BIAB using a 3/4 style, and BIAB beamed them.

There is a general rule that one does not beam over the middle of a bar, but that doesn't apply here. Go ahead and beam them. It looks better, and you said this is for sight-reading, where making the notation look good is half the battle.

For anyone reading who is not in England, a crochet is a quarter note, and a semiquaver is a 16th note.

Hi Terrecnce,

Welcome to the forum.

Yes, those would be beamed.

Many years ago, I read a book by Gardner Read called 'Music Notation', it's one of the most fascinating books I've ever taken the time to sit down with. Your local library might have it.

Regards,
Noel

For anyone reading who is not in England, a crochet is a quarter note, and a semiquaver is a 16th note.

For a minute there I thought I had a stroke and couldn't read any more. LOL. I had no idea what he was asking!

I've got a dollar for anyone who can create a BiaB song with appropriate lyrics titled:

hemidemisemiquaver

Well, here are some lyrics:

Hemi-demi-semi-quaver

When I was taking music lessons
My teacher sat me down
And looking at what I'd written
She told me with a frown

You've gotten all your notation wrong
It's really such a mess
These flags and beams and dotted notes
Are unreadable ugliness!

Your dots are splots; those flags adrift
Beams and stems are disconnected
But all these note durations
Must be first to be corrected.

You've written this in eighth notes
What you should have done in quavers
These quarters ought be crotchets
You're a terrible engraver!

That whole note? Try a semi-breve;
And for a half note, write a minimum.
What was good enough for Renaissance
We still use for notating rhythm!

In tears I watched her tear apart
My happy little song;
But even at that tender age
I knew that it was wrong

To use such long words for little dots
Is archaic and antique
Combining the worst of languages
Both Latin, French and Greek

And to this day, I only ask
You do this simple favor
When you see a sixty-fourth note
Don't say hemidemisemiquaver!

David,

By any chance was the lyrics written with the medley of "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko Bop" in mind? The lyrics match the recording almost perfectly. +++ Song Video +++

Darn, now I've got that earworm stuck in my head. Although as a kid, I misremembered the words as "Shimmy, Shimmy Co-Co-Puffs".

But no - I was just channeling my inner Dr. Seuss.