NOTE VALUE PYRAMID

British Names American Names

1 Semibreve Whole Note
w

is equal to 2 Minims Half Notes

˙ ˙

or 4 Crotchets Quarter Notes

œ œ œ œ

or 8 Quavers 8th Notes

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
J J
or 16 Semiquavers 16th Notes
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R R
or 32 Demisemiquavers 32nd Notes
œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ
RÔ RÔ RÔ RÔ

A dot placed after a note increases its value Silence in music is indicated by a means of
by one half. Two dots increase its value by signs called rests, each equivalent in value to
three quarters. a note. The signs for the rests are:

w. is equal to w plus h å A semibreve rest

w.. is equal to w plus h plus q ä A minim rest
h. is equal to h plus q £ A crotchet rest
h.. is equal to h plus q plus e à A quaver rest
q. is equal to q plus e á A semiquaver rest
q.. is equal to q plus e plus x â A demisemiquaver rest