Note Values (An Introduction)

Let's start by taking a look at the notation for a whole note, also called a semibreve.

The example shown here is of a bar of music in 4/4 time. As 4 quarter notes = 1 whole note, a single semibreve can fill a bar.

A minim lasts for half as long as a semibreve. It is written in a similar way to the semibreve, but with the addition of a vertical line next to the note.

The example shown here is of a bar of music in 4/4 time. As 4 quarter notes = 2 half note, 2 minims fill a bar.

A crotchet lasts for half as long as a minim.

The example shown here is of a bar of music in 4/4 time. Here we are using 4 quarter notes, which fill a single bar of 4/4.

A quaver lasts for half as long as a crotchet.

A quaver, in common with all notes of 1/8 or less, has a small line at the end of the vertical staff of the note. When written as a group of notes of 1/8 or less, these lines are joined together. Take a look at the example below. This example is written in 2/4 time (i.e. 2 quarter note beats to the bar). In the first bar, there are 4 quavers (4 1/8 notes = 2 1/4 notes = a full bar in 2/4 time).

A semiquaver lasts for half as long as a quaver.

Notice the similarity between the way this note is written compared to a quaver - the only difference is the additional line at the end of the staff of the note.

This example is also written in 2/4 time. By now you should hopefully be able to see how we need a total of 8 1/16 notes to fill a bar of 2/4).

It is possible to divide a semiquaver down even further. A Demi-Semiquaver lasts for half as long as a semiquaver. The notation for writing these is similar to as for a semiquaver, but with a third mark on the vertical staff of the note.

Further subdivisions are possible, but uncommon. For example, something such as a 1/64 note is likely to occur in a passage of very short notes within a piece of music at a relatively slow tempo.