Sight Reading 101

Notes and Rest Values




Notes and rests are musical symbols on a staff that designate when to play and when to not play. Notes on a staff represent what pitch to play and for how long. Rests are musical symbols used to designate when to pause and not play.


Below is a table which displays whole, half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes and rests, along with how long each one lasts, measured in beats.

Note and Rest Values






Counting Note and Rest Values


Whole Notes and Whole Rests:

Whole notes and rests are easy to count because they last for four beats.

Here is an example of a whole note and the count that it receives.
Whole Note

Here is an example of a whole rest and the count that it receives.
Whole Rest




Half Note and Half Rests:

Half notes and rests each last for two beats.

Here is an example of half notes and the count that they receive.
Half Note

Here is an example of half notes and rests in context on the staff.
Half Notes and Rests




Quarter Notes and Quarter Rests:

Quarter notes and rests last for one beat.

Here is an example of quarter notes and the count that they receive.
Quarter Note

Here is an example of quarter notes and rests in context on the staff.
Sixteenth Rest




Eighth Notes and Eighth Rests:

Eighth notes and rests only last for one half of a beat. When you are counting the rhythm of eighth notes, the usual way is to say the word "and" between each beat. This subdivides each beat by two, and makes it easier to count the eighth notes evenly.

Like this:

One-and-two-and-three-and-four-and.

This manner of subdividing works the same for eighth rests, as well as eighth notes.

Here is an example of eighth notes and how to count them.
Eighth Note

Here is an example of eighth notes and rests in context with other notes on the staff.
Eighth Notes and Rest




Sixteenth Notes and Sixteenth Rests:

Sixteenth notes and rests only last for one fourth of a beat. When you are counting the rhythm of sixteenth notes, the usual way is to say "e-and-a" between each beat. This subdivides each beat by four, and makes it easier to count the sixteenth notes and rests evenly.

Like this:

One e-and-a, Two e-and-a, Three e-and-a, Four e-and-a.

Here is an example of sixteenth notes and how to count them.
Sixteenth Note

Here is an example of sixteenth notes and rests in context with other notes on the staff.
Sixteenth Rest











Course Map:

Introduction | Course Directory | The Staff | Lines, Spaces and Ledger Lines | Flash Cards I: Learning the Notes | The Fret Board | Reading Exercises On Each String | Note and Rest Values | Time Signatures | Rhythm Exercises, Part I | Triplets and Dotted Notes & Rests | Rhythm Exercises, Part II | Flash Cards II: Rhythm Values | Ties | Rhythm Exercises, Part III | Simple Melodies | Course Conclusion

Glossary of Terms






Copyright 1999 T.A. Vieira, Jr.