7 Tenor Low E

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The five notes so far, G to D, are the easiest. That's why we started with them. Now we add notes with more fingers, and where correct breath pressure is more critical. Starting with low E. Here it is:

The fingering is LT, L1, L2, L3, and right hand fingers R1 and R2. It is the low G from before, with two extra right hand fingers. It sounds like this:

If the note is not coming out right, then a leaky finger is the likely culprit. Play a G, when it is working add the extra fingers for the E. Also, be sure not to push your breath too hard, otherwise the note may sound like this

Most of the new notes from now on will also require a particular breath pressure. In time, this becomes automatic. Now try this exercise:
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As before, use the player to hear the exercise. The first three notes of the exercise are part of an "arpeggio", a key music component which we'll get to later. Also, can you see that the "stem" connected to the "E" note points upwards? Usually notes like A or B, or lower, have the stems pointing upwards. This makes the notes look better on the stave.

Now try this exercise:
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Are all the low E's sounding OK? You may be blowing too hard on the high notes, causing the E to overblow. If so, reduce your breath pressure, while keeping it steady. Or, your fingers may still be leaking. If so, go back to the single low E until you can play it reliably. Then try the exercise again.

So for we've looked at various note lengths, the eighth note (quaver), quarter note (crotchet), half note (minim) and whole note. We now introduce another length, done by adding a single dot after a note. Look at the stave below. Notice the dot after the half note? It means that the half note length increases by 50%, so it is three beats instead of two. It is called a "dotted half note" or dotted minim.
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Play along a few times, to get the feel of it. Then, try counting in your head while you play. Count to four with the lead in, then continue to count during the two bars. The dotted half note is held while you count "one two three", the quarter note comes on the "four".

Counting like this is an essential part of music, particularly when playing with others. A common mistake (we all do it) is to "lose your place", that is, to be at a different part in the music to everyone else, due to faulty counting on your part.The experience can be unnerving, particularly during a baroque recital with a paying audience. I speak from experience...

However losing your place when playing amongst friends is easily forgiven. Learning to count accurately, and applying it diligently when playing is a fundamental music skill. Work at it whenever you play. The rewards will come in the (not too distant) future when you can hold your part securely within a group of players.

Off to the library again. Watch out for the dotted half notes.

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Tea Leaves
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A Miner Song
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