What are the Music Rhythm Symbols?
There are basically 3 categories of music rhythm symbols.
1) The Notes
2) The Rests
3) The Time Signatures
This page focuses on what these symbols are, how many counts the
symbols get, and how to use them in context. If you're not really sure
what all this rhythm stuff is, check out the what
is rhythm page first. Now onto the symbols.
The Notes
First we'll start with the notes. Each note is written a specific way
to let you know how long to hold it. Think of it in terms of a drum
beat. Each beat of the drum is a count. You need to hold certain notes
down for
certain amounts of counts.
Type
of Note
Picture
Number
of Counts
Whole Note
Dotted Half Note
Half Note
Dotted Quarter Note
Quarter Note
Eighth Note
Sixteenth Note
32nd Note
4
3
2
1 1/2
1
1/2
1/4
1/8
The Rests
The next of the music rhythm symbols are rests. Rests are the places
where you don't play or hold a note. They are places of silence. Here
they are:
Type of Rest
Whole Rest
Half Rest
Quarter Rest
8th Rest
16th Rest
Picture
Number
of Counts
4
2
1
1/2
1/4
which can also be
know as: 
Notice that there are 2 numbers on top of each other. They each mean different things. The top 4 means that there are 4 beats in a bar. The bottom 4 means that a quarter note gets one beat.
With this
time signature, you know what the bottom 4 means. Any time there is a 4
at the bottom it means a quarter note gets one beat. The 3 on top means
that there are 3 beats in the bar. 
In this
time signature, the 6 means that there are 6 beats in a bar. The 8
means that an 8th note gets one beat.
Those arel the basic music rhythm symbols. If you want to find out how to use them, check out the rhythm lessons next. Happy playing!
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Rhythm Symbols
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Lessons Info Homepage.
