Note Values and Rests
Practice the durations of notes and rests and how their symbols are built.
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Questions Covered in This Set
10 cards to master
How many beats does a whole note get in 4/4?
4 beats — hollow notehead with no stem.
Describe a half note and its duration.
Hollow notehead with a stem; 2 beats.
Describe a quarter note and its duration.
Filled notehead with a stem; 1 beat.
What does adding a flag to a stem do?
Halves the note's value — 1 flag = eighth (½ beat), 2 flags = sixteenth (¼ beat).
What is a beam and does it change duration?
A thick horizontal line joining stems of eighths/sixteenths; one beam = one flag. It's cosmetic and does NOT change duration.
Where does a whole rest sit on the staff?
Hanging below the 4th line — 'whole = hole in the ground'; 4 beats of silence.
Where does a half rest sit on the staff?
Sitting on top of the 3rd line — 'half = hat'; 2 beats of silence.
What does a quarter rest look like and last?
A squiggly zigzag (fancy Z / lightning bolt); 1 beat of silence.
How do you count sixteenth notes aloud?
1-e-and-a, 2-e-and-a — four evenly per quarter-note click.
Why do beginners rush rests?
Nothing is sounding, so they stop counting; rests must be held and counted as carefully as notes.
