Adding missing notes and rests
In an exam you may be asked to add missing notes or rests to a piece of written music.
In the example below, a rest is missing from bar 4. The time signature tells us there are 3 beats in every bar and the bar already has a 2 beat note. This means the missing rest is a 1 beat rest.
When adding the missing notes, look and listen for patterns. The notes might be ascending or descending by step.
The missing bar may use repetition.
In the example below, the notes are missing from bar 6. Listen to the music and try to identify the missing notes:
Early One Morning
The notes are a repeat of the notes in bar 2.
Question
Here is another example featuring repetition. Listen to the music and try to identify the missing notes:
Greensleeves
The missing notes in bar 6 and a repeat of the notes in bar 2.
Question
Listen to this example which uses a sequence. Try to identify the missing notes:
Ding Dong Merrily on High
The notes in bars 1-5 all use the same rhythm and follow the same melodic shape but the pattern starts a note lower each time. Bar 5 features the same pattern of notes but starts on F.