Note and Rest Values
Knowing your Note/Rest Values:
Understanding your note and rest values is important. Later, it will tell me how many numbers each note (or rest) will receive.
In 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 5/4 Time
Whole Note = 4 beats
Dotted Half Note = 3 beats
Half Note = 2 beats
Dotted Quarter Note = 1 1/2 beats
Quarter Note = 1 beat
Eighth Note = 1/2 beat
Sixteenth Note = 1/4 beat
The notes listed above will always have the same relationship. This means, that there are always 2 half notes in 1 whole note and 2 eighth notes in 1 quarter note. The note value pyramid below can help you see how the types are connected.
In other time signatures, the note values will change, but the pyramid will not. This means that as long as you know what type of note gets 1 beat (the bottom number of the time signature) then, you can determine the other note/rest lengths.
In 3/8, 6/8, and 9/8 Time
Whole Note = 8 beats
Dotted Half Note = 6 beats
Half Note = 4 beats
Dotted Quarter Note = 3 beats
Quarter Note = 2 beats
Eighth Note = 1 beat
Sixteenth Note = 1/2 beat
In 2/2 or 3/2 Time
Whole Note = 2 beats
Dotted Half Note = 1 1/2 beats
Half Note = 1 beat
Quarter Note = 1/2 beat
Eighth Note = 1/4 beat