Note Length Values
The lengths of notes are indicated through a system of note heads, note stems, and note flags. The head of the note is the oval that is either white or black in the center. The stem is the line that either rises or falls vertically from the note, and the flag is either a flag shape coming off of the end of the stem farthest from the note head, or a heavy horizontal line connecting two or more notes together. Here are examples of different kinds of notes and their values in 4/4 time:
Whole note = oval note head with white center and no stem — gets four beats
Half note = oval note head with a white center and a stem — gets two beats
Quarter note = oval note head with a black center and a stem — gets one beat
Eighth note = oval note head with a black center, a stem, and one flag — gets a half beat
Sixteenth note = oval note head with a black center, a stem, and two flags — gets one quarter of a beat
Thirty-second note = oval note head with a black center, a stem, and three flags — gets one eighth of a beat
Just so you understand the relationship between these different note values, one whole note is equal to two half notes, four quarter notes, eight eighth notes, sixteen sixteenth notes, or thirty-two thirty-second notes.
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FIGURE 3-1:Types of notes
Whole Note
Half - Note
Quarter Note
Eighth Note
Sixteenth Note
32nd Note
