Rhythm notation and note values
Rhythm notation shows exactly how long each note lasts relative to the beat — the timing skeleton underneath every piece of music, from a nursery rhyme to a drum solo.
Part of your national curriculum
- Composing: Use staff and other relevant notations appropriately and accurately in a range of musical styles, genres and traditions
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Use staff and other relevant notations appropriately and accurately in a range of musical styles, genres and traditions
Key learning points
- • Basic note values
- • Time signatures
- • Rests
This lesson at a glance
- 25 minutes
- 16 parts to scroll through
- 3 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 16
Visual introductionPicture this
Rhythm notation and note values
Rhythm notation shows exactly how long each note lasts relative to the beat — the timing skeleton underneath every piece of music, from a nursery rhyme to a drum solo.
In a nutshell
Use staff and other relevant notations appropriately and accurately in a range of musical styles, genres and traditions
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 16
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Basic note values
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 16
Learn
Basic note values
A semibreve (whole note) lasts 4 beats, a minim (half note) lasts 2 beats, a crotchet (quarter note) lasts 1 beat, and a quaver (eighth note) lasts half a beat. Each shorter value is exactly half the length of the one before it, which is why two quavers equal one crotchet.
Reset break
Part 4 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 16
Learn
Time signatures
A time signature, written as two numbers at the start of a piece, tells you how many beats are in each bar (the top number) and what type of note counts as one beat (the bottom number). In 4/4 time, the most common time signature in pop and rock, there are 4 crotchet beats per bar.
Quick check
Part 6 of 16
Quick check
Part 7 of 16
Reset break
Part 8 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 16
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Rests
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 16
Learn
Rests
Rests are symbols showing silence, and they follow the same duration system as notes: a crotchet rest is silent for 1 beat, just as a crotchet note sounds for 1 beat. Rhythmic accuracy depends just as much on getting the rests right as getting the notes right.
Quick check
Part 11 of 16
Reset break
Part 12 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 13 of 16
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 14 of 16
Game · Recall cards
How many beats does a minim last?
Card 1 of 3
Mastery quiz
Part 15 of 16
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Rhythm notation and note values
3 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. How many beats does a minim last?
2. In 4/4 time, how many crotchet beats are in each bar?
3. What does a crotchet rest indicate?
Lesson round-up
Part 16 of 16
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
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Luna: 0 out of 3 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaPart 1 of 16 · Watch & discover
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Use staff and other relevant notations appropriately and accurately in a range of musical styles, genres and traditions