Pick-up notes (anacrusis)
Many songs start with an “incomplete” measure, i.e. the first measure contains less notes/rests than the top number of the time signature demands. The amount of notes/rests missing in the first measure will be found at the end of the piece; -add these two measure together and they will equal a complete measure of notes/rests.
When leading a song, count a measure in tempo and always insert “ready-go!” (or ready-sing/ready-play) on the two counts prior to the anacrusis. For example, “Amazing Grace” has a pick-up note on count 3 (assuming 3/4 time signature).
| 1 2 A- |ma- – zing | Grace etc..
would be preceded by a countoff of |1 2 3 | (Ready) (Go) A -|ma - zing|
Other examples in 3/4 time = On Top of Old Smoky, The Star-Spangled Banner, House of the Rising Sun, etc…
Look carefully at your first songleading assignment and make sure you know how to count us in! It’s part of the grading rubric for this assignment!
If you’re unsure, then ask!
