What is a Dotted Note?

Dot is a symbol that makes the note value increase its duration in half. It must be placed to the right of the note or rest. Please see below:

dotted note on a half note

In this example, the dot was placed over a half note, and this caused the half note to have a half note + quarter note, as the quarter note has half the duration of a half note.

A dotted note is equivalent to a note connected to another note with a value equal to its half. Now look at another example of augmentation dot, this time on a quarter note:

dotted note on a crotchet

In this case, the quarter note was added to an eighth note, as the eighth note is half the length of a quarter note.

Double dot is that which adds half plus a quarter of the note’s value. See below:

Double Dotted Note

double dotted note

The half note, in this case, was added to a quarter note plus an eighth note. Notice that the eighth note is half the value of the quarter note, so it represents 1/4 of the half note’s value.

See the example of a double dotted quarter note also, maintaining the same logic:

double dotted quarter note

There is also the triple dot, which consists of the note + 1/2 +1/4 + 1/8 of the note. The idea is the same as we have been on working so far. Observe:

Triple Dotted Note

triple dotted note

Go to: Staccato

Back to: Sheet music guide