Simple & Complex
Rhythms
, Note Values
Before starting on simple and complex rhythms, we must
understand the basic note values. The table below shows diferent
notes, their values, and their corresponding rests.
Value in terms
Note Shape Rest Alternative names
of a semibreve
Semibreve 1 Whole note
Minim 1/2 Half note
Crotchet or 1/4 Quarter note
Quaver 1/8 Eighth note
Semiquaver 1/16 Sixteenth note
Demisemiquaver 1/32 Thirty-second note
, Time Signatures
A time signature is seen as the two numbers written on the stave
at the beginning of a piece of music, one number placed above
the other. The upper number tells you the number of beats in each
bar, and the lower number indicates the value of each beat
(measured in semiquavers).
3 There are 3 beats in each bar, as the upper number is 3.
4 Each beat in the bar has a value of a quarter note or crotchet.
The total found in each bar with this time signature is 3 crotchet
beats, or ¾.
Rhythms
, Note Values
Before starting on simple and complex rhythms, we must
understand the basic note values. The table below shows diferent
notes, their values, and their corresponding rests.
Value in terms
Note Shape Rest Alternative names
of a semibreve
Semibreve 1 Whole note
Minim 1/2 Half note
Crotchet or 1/4 Quarter note
Quaver 1/8 Eighth note
Semiquaver 1/16 Sixteenth note
Demisemiquaver 1/32 Thirty-second note
, Time Signatures
A time signature is seen as the two numbers written on the stave
at the beginning of a piece of music, one number placed above
the other. The upper number tells you the number of beats in each
bar, and the lower number indicates the value of each beat
(measured in semiquavers).
3 There are 3 beats in each bar, as the upper number is 3.
4 Each beat in the bar has a value of a quarter note or crotchet.
The total found in each bar with this time signature is 3 crotchet
beats, or ¾.
