Basic Elements: Music Notation

Rests

In music, silence is just as important as sound. To indicate silence we use rests. Each type of note has a rest that corresponds in value.

Note

Rest

Value

whole note

whole rest on a staff

4 beats

half note

half rest on a staff

2 beats

quarter note

quarter rest on a staff

1 beat

eighth note

Eigth rest on a staff

½ beat

sixteenth note

Sixteenth rest on a staff

¼ beat