Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Understand what a measure is. Learn basic notation. Practice keeping the beat. Practice counting basic note lengths. Add syllables for smaller notes. Understand what a dot means. Practice triplets. Break the rules.

Answer: Music is divided into measures, which are designated by a vertical line. Notes in music are named based on how much time they take up within a measure.  Think of the measure as a pie that can be cut into quarters, halves, eighths, or a combination of different notes. In a 4/4 time signature, the names of the notes clue you in to how much of the measure they will take. This will necessitate a rudimentary understanding of fractions. A whole note will take the whole measure. A half note will take half of the measure. From there, you can figure out that:  Quarter notes take a quarter of the measure. Eighth notes take one eighth of the measure. Sixteenth notes take one sixteenth of the measure. Notes can be combined to make one whole. For instance, 1 half note and 2 quarter notes makes 1 whole measure. In an even rhythm, tap your heel and count to 4 repeatedly, like this: 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4. The speed is less important than keeping the time even between each number.  A metronome can also be helpful in setting an even beat. Each full cycle of 1-2-3-4 is 1 measure. Say or sing “la” while continuing to keep up the counting in your head. A whole note will take the whole measure, so begin singing “la” at the number 1, and hold it until you have reached 4. You have just performed a whole note.  2 half notes make up a measure.  Sing “la” for 1-2 then a new “la” for 3-4. There are 4 quarter notes in a measure.  Sing “la” for each number you’re tapping. For eighth notes, you will need to divide the measure into 8 even pieces, but you are still only beating 4 times per measure. Add the word “and” between each number as you count like this: “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and.”  Practice this until it becomes easy.  Each word is 1 eighth note.  Use a similar principle to count sixteenth notes. You will need to fit 16 sounds into 1 measure and do it evenly. One common way to do this is to say “1-e-and-a, 2-e-and-a, 3-e-and-a, 4-e-and-a.” Remember that the numbers should still be played and sung perfectly evenly.  The same general idea can be applied to even smaller notes, but as these notes appear rarely, they are less important to master as a beginner. Sometimes in music there is a small dot immediately after a note.  This dot indicates that the note’s length should be increased by 50%.  A half note, normally worth 2 beats, becomes 3 beats with a dot. A quarter note, worth 1 beat without the dot, takes 1.5 beats with a dot. Triplets are when 1 beat is divided into 3 notes. This is tricky because otherwise all the notes you have practiced are even fractions. Vocalizing syllables can help you get the hang of triplets.  Practice counting triplets by saying “1-e-and, 2-e-and, 3-e-and, 4-e-and. Remember to continue keeping the numbers even using a metronome or tapping your foot. A fermata is a sign that looks like a dot with an eyebrow over a note.  When you see this symbol, it means that note can be held for as long as you like, regardless of what the music might say.  If you are part of an ensemble, the director will determine how long it should be held. If you are performing solo, consider in advance what will be most appropriate length. Listen to recordings of your piece if you are uncertain how long to hold. This will give you a sense of what other performers have done and you can decide what sounds best.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Flush the fabric with water. Create a solution of water, ammonia and liquid laundry detergent. Soak the garment in the cleaning solution. Wring out the garment and wash as usual. Create a stronger solution using water and sodium thiosulfate. Spot-clean the stain with the solution. Rinse the stain with cool water.

Answer:
As soon as you notice the iodine stain on your clothes, immediately bring the clothing item to the sink and flush it with cold water. Let the water stream onto the stain until the stained area is completely saturated. Flushing the garment with water helps prevent the stain from setting. After you flush the clothing item with water, create a cleaning solution in a large bowl that comprises of four cups (950 ml) of cool water, one tablespoon (14.79 ml) of ammonia and ½ teaspoon (2.4 ml) of liquid laundry detergent. Make sure that the laundry detergent doesn’t contain chlorine bleach, as ammonia and chlorine breach create harmful fumes when mixed together. After you create the cleaning solution, drop in the garment and completely submerge the stained portion in the liquid. Let the fabric soak for about half an hour. If your item of clothing is non-washable, spot clean the stain instead of soaking the garment. To spot clean, dip a clean cloth in the cleaning solution and dab at the stain gently to remove it. After around half and hour, take the garment out of the bowl of cleaning solution. Wring the garment out to release excess liquid, then wash the garment in the washing machine using your normal settings. Check on the garment before drying. If the stain is completely removed, dry the clothing item in the dryer. If the stain is only partially removed, keep treating the garment instead of putting the item in the dryer. If the iodine stain is especially old or saturated, the ammonia and dishwashing solution may not have been strong enough to remove the stain. To create a stronger solution, combine one cup (240 ml) of cool water with 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of sodium thiosulfate in a small bowl. Dip a clean white cloth into the small bowl of sodium thiosulfate solution, then gently dab the spot with the cloth. Instead of rubbing, use soft sponging motions to help lift the stain. You should notice that the stain lifts and transfers onto the white cloth. After you have lifted the stain, flush the stain again with cool water so that the cleaning solution is removed. Then launder the garment as usual.