Meaning of Note Values in Music
In music, note values refer to the duration or length of time that a musician sounds a particular pitch. They indicate how long a note is held or sustained. Note values are an essential aspect of music notation and are used to represent rhythm and timing in a musical composition .
Common Note Values
There are several common note values used in music notation. Here are five of the most commonly used note values:
1. **Whole Note**: A whole note is represented by an open oval shape and has the longest duration among the common note values. It typically lasts for four beats in 4/4 time signature.2. **Half Note**: A half note is represented by an open oval shape with a stem. It lasts for half the duration of a whole note, which is two beats in 4/4 time signature.3. **Quarter Note**: A quarter note is represented by a filled-in oval shape with a stem. It lasts for half the duration of a half note, which is one beat in 4/4 time signature.4. **Eighth Note**: An eighth note is represented by a filled-in oval shape with a stem and a flag. It lasts for half the duration of a quarter note, which is half a beat in 4/4 time signature.5. **Sixteenth Note**: A sixteenth note is represented by a filled-in oval shape with a stem and two flags. It lasts for half the duration of an eighth note, which is a quarter of a beat in 4/4 time signature.
These note values can be combined in various ways to create different rhythms and patterns in music.
Dotted Note Values
In addition to the common note values mentioned above, there are also dotted note values. A dot written after a note adds one-half of the note's value to the original note's value. For example, a dotted half note lasts for three beats (two beats for the half note plus one additional beat) in 4/4 time signature.
Conclusion
Note values in music represent the duration or length of time that a musician sounds a particular pitch. They are essential for understanding rhythm and timing in a musical composition. Common note values include whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes. Dotted note values add half of the note's value to the original duration. By combining these note values, composers create rhythmic patterns and structures in their music.
The note value is the duration of a note, or the relationship of the duration of the note to the measure. The duration of a note is as follows in common time or 4/4 time:
Note Values British Term American TermNote having a duration of one full measure. Semibreve Whole note Note having a duration of one half of a full measure. Minim Half note Note having a duration of a quarter of a full measure. Crotchet Quarter note Note having a duration of one eighth of a full measure. Quaver Eighth note Note having a duration of one sixteenth of a full measure. Semiquaver Sixteenth note Note having a duration of one thirty-second of a full measure. Demisemiquaver Thirty-second note The half note (minim) is half the duration of the whole note (semibreve), the quarter note (crotchet) is half the duration of the half note (minim), etc.
See the table of notes and rests in the Appendix.
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