Culture difference ?

[EMan]

So, a few days ago I was listening/watching a YouTube video made by a fellow in the UK ( I guess) who was explaining some music theory as it relates to time signatures. When it came to referring to "quarter notes", he alternatively called them "crotchets". He also had a strange(to me) name for half notes. Would one of you from the UK explain to me the odd difference in musical terminology from the states to the UK ?
Thanks in advance for that.

 

[stickista]

“The note derives from the semiminima ('half minim') of mensural notation. The word "crotchet" comes from Old French crochet, meaning 'little hook', diminutive of croc, 'hook', because of the hook used on the note in black notation.”

Here’s the bigger story.

Mensural notation - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Personally I find it silly to add an unnecessary translation step to what is essentially a math problem, but tradition is hard to overcome.

 

[lmschgo]

More information can be found at https://www.dolmetsch.com/musicalsymbols.htm

Howard

 

[stickista]

If you watch the big Alien arrival scene in Close Encounters, the keyboardist is being instructed using this terminology to communicate the theme (during which I’m always wondering why they didnt just give him the darned sheet music. )

 

[petch]

I've only just recently learnt the rest of the world doesn't call them crotchets

 

[tcabot]

"Crotchets" and "quavers" - I've heard it a lot, but only said people with "proper" musical education. I guess that might be the formal term that's being taught over here.
Regular schmucks like me use half & quarter.

 

[Dingo40]

Vive la difference!

 

[Ventura]

those of us who play by Ear don't have to remember this, right ?

we can continue in blissful ignorance ?

 

[vivdunstan]

I learned crotchet and quaver etc as an extremely young accordionist in Scotland in the 1970s. It wasn’t so relevant when I learned the violin in primary school and later played in a school orchestra. I also didn’t study music theory at secondary school beyond the general first two years. Having said that more recently I’ve forgotten many of the exact names! When I’m entering sheet music into a music notation software program it’s more a case of spot the notes I need visually, rather than know the “proper” names.

 

[EMan]

well you blokes can go on with your crotchets and quavers, et al and I'm going to stay with my eighth notes, quarter notes, half notes etc.
But really, thanks for the clarification. I had never heard those terms before the other day.

 

[Alan Sharkis]

those of us who play by Ear don't have to remember this, right ?

we can continue in blissful ignorance ?

What about guys like me who play by ear AND sight-read as well?

 

[Dingo40]

What about guys like me who play by ear AND sight-read as well?

Well, your left hand won't know what your right hand's doing

 

[Javthedog]

quavers - yes, crochets - yes, then possibly lollipops n doughnuts?

 

[JerryPH]

Interesting, my original accordion teacher was French, with us being here in Montreal and we started with this nomenclature, however it changed real fast after about a month (3-4 lessons) to the same method that Ed refers to, and I am glad he did as that is what all the music books I used to learn with and following music used in their explanations.

 

[Alan Sharkis]

Well, your left hand won't know what your right hand's doing

Don’t laugh too hard. Hand independence is something kids learning many musical instruments must develop. It’s easier for some than others.

 

[NickC]

I would think that the country that will use anything but the metric system would be the ones to come up with a complex naming system for rhythmic divisions.

 

[JeffJetton]

Wait'll you hear what the Germans call B-natural...

 

[JeffJetton]

I would think that the country that will use anything but the metric system would be the ones to come up with a complex naming system for rhythmic divisions.

Interesting take to consider that US-style rhythm naming is sort of the "metric system" of notation, isn't it? Precise, mathematical, unambiguous.

Heck, I say we go whole-hog and make it completely SI-compatible:

OLD              NEW
-----------------------------------
Whole Note       1 measure
Half Note        5 decimeasures
Quarter Note     25 centimeasures
Eighth Note      125 millimeasures

Might have some rounding errors with triplets though...

 

[Javthedog]

Wait'll you hear what the Germans call B-natural...

Just looked it up - makes sense - sort of - but you always learn what you learn and the there are many surprises when you look at how others do stuff.....just thinking how a division sum is laid out in Portuguese maths.....

 

[Jim2010]

So, a few days ago I was listening/watching a YouTube video made by a fellow in the UK ( I guess) who was explaining some music theory as it relates to time signatures. When it came to referring to "quarter notes", he alternatively called them "crotchets". He also had a strange(to me) name for half notes. Would one of you from the UK explain to me the odd difference in musical terminology from the states to the UK ?
Thanks in advance for that.

Old wise man say:
"The word is not the thing it describes."

Isn't it great that that there is something called a hemidemisemiquaver (1/64th note)?