Thinking Music Theory 101: Note Values

Thanks for tuning in to this eight part music theory extravaganza.

If you happen to miss the last two parts click here and here.

Okay let’s get started.

note: If this is your first time reading this lesson, then I would suggest to start with the very first lesson. Things could get confusing, you need to click here first to understand this lesson.

Download the pdf sheet right here.

Measures

Below is a picture of the music staff and you can see it divided by bar lines. The space in between the bar lines and are called measures. Here we have four measures.

four bars

Pretty simple right? Let’s move on.

Quarter Notes and Quarter Rests

Below is an image of a quarter note and rest shaped with a black oval and with a line attached called a stem. A quarter rest looks like some weird scribble, I believe whoever invented the quarter rest didn’t give it much thought. Lol.

quarter note and rest

A quarter note and rest equals one beat or count.

A Rest would indicate silence, which would mean no sound for that period of time.

Observe below many quarter notes and rests filled within the four measures.

quarter notes and rests

audio

Half Notes and Half Rests

Below is an image of a half note and rest shaped with a black oval and with a line attached called a stem. A half rest looks like a small black rectangular that is just sitting on top of a line.

Half-Note-Half-Rest

A half note and rest equals two beats or counts.

Observe below many half notes and rests filled within the four measures.

half notes and rests

audio

Whole Notes and Rests

Below is an image of a whole note and rest shaped like an oval. A whole rest looks like a small black rectangular that is just hanging on to the line above.

Whole_note_andrest

A whole note and rest equals four beats or counts.

Check out below many whole notes and rests filled within the four measures.

whole notes and rests

audio

Eighth Notes and Rests

Here we got an image of an eighth note consisting of a black oval with a stem and a little flag at the end of it. An eighth rest looks kind of looks like a cherry with a stem.

Eighth_notes_and_rest

An eighth note and rest equals one half beat or count.

Below many eighth notes and rests filled within the two measures.

eighth notes and rests

audio

Sixteenth Notes and Rests

Below is an image of a sixteenth note shaped with an oval and a stem with two flags. A sixteenth rest looks like two cherries with a stem.

Sixteenth_notes_and_rest

A sixteenth note and rest equals 1/4 beat or count.

Here we have many sixteenth notes and rests filled within one measure.

sixteenth notes and rests

audio

Dotted Notes and Rests

A dot placed after a note increases it’s value by half.

dotted notes

audio

Triplets

A note is sliced into three parts instead of two. A triplet would be the same length in time as if it were sliced into two notes of the same value.

Rests are treated the same as if they were notes, but silent notes. Let’s keep that in mind.

triplets

audio

Download the pdf worksheet right here.

Wow, my brain hurts just writing all this stuff, but I hope you’re getting brain neurons working for you.

If you have any questions please let me know in the comment section below.

Thanks