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Rests

Rests, on the other hand, are symbols of various types that indicate periods of silence in music. Similar to notes, there are seven different kinds of rests in use, corresponding to the lengths of the notes they represent.

Note value and Equivalent Rest

Rest note Pyramid

Summary

Reading and Writing Basic Rhythms and Note Durations

In music notation, rhythms and note durations are essential components that convey the timing and duration of each sound or silence. Understanding how to read and write basic rhythms is crucial for accurately interpreting and performing music.

Note Durations

Notes are represented by different shapes and symbols that indicate their duration. The most common note durations include whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes.

  • A whole note is the longest duration, lasting for four beats. It is represented by an open circle
  • A half note lasts for two beats and is represented by a hollow circle with a stem.
  • A quarter note lasts for one beat and is represented by a solid circle with a stem.
  • A quarter note lasts for one beat and is represented by a solid circle with a stem.

Rests:

  • Rests represent periods of silence or no sound. They have the same durations as notes and are represented by symbols corresponding to their respective durations.
  • A whole rest indicates a complete measure of silence, while a half rest represents two beats of silence.
  • A quarter rest represents one beat of silence, and eighth and sixteenth rests represent the respective subdivisions of the beat.