The beat
The beat (or pulse) is the steady tap your foot keeps without thinking. Note lengths are measured in beats.
Note values
The shape of a note tells you how long it lasts. Hollow noteheads last longer; filled ones are shorter; each flag (or beam) cuts the length in half.
| Note | Rest | Name | Beats | Per 4/4 measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole note | 4 | 1 | ||
| Half note | 2 | 2 | ||
| Quarter note | 1 | 4 | ||
| Eighth note | ½ | 8 | ||
| Sixteenth note | ¼ | 16 |
The time tree: each level splits the one above in half
Every note value has a matching rest: a silence of the same length. Rests get counted too.
Measures and time signatures
Bar lines split the music into measures (or bars), groups of beats of the same size. The two numbers at the start are the time signature:
- Top number: how many beats fit in each measure.
- Bottom number: which note value gets one beat. 4 = quarter note, 8 = eighth note, 2 = half note.
So 4/4 means: 4 beats per measure, each one a quarter note. It’s the time signature of most popular songs. It’s also called common time.
Counting out loud
Quarter notes: “1, 2, 3, 4”. Eighth notes split the beat in two: “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &”. Sixteenth notes split it in four: “1 e & a, 2 e & a”.
Rhythm lab
Count out loud along with the numbers. The metronome gives you one measure of count-in.
Tap your foot on the beat and say the numbers. Then clap the rhythm of the notes while your foot keeps the beat. Moving helps you stay focused and locks the rhythm in faster than just looking.
Quick check
Get every answer right to finish. Mistakes are part of it: read the explanation and try again.
1. In 4/4 time, how many quarter notes fit in a measure?
2. A half note lasts...
3. Two eighth notes together last as long as...