
Each note value can be divided into two smaller values, as seen in Example 2. Note values are hierarchical in other words, their lengths are defined relative to one another.

There are many common note values in Western musical notation. Noteheads with stems, beams and flags labeled.

As you’ll recall in the chapter titled Notation of Notes, Clefs, and Ledger Lines, notes may contain several different components, as seen in Example 1: Example 1. Note Valuesīroadly speaking, rhythm refers to the duration of musical sounds and rests in time. The next several chapters will focus on the temporal facets of rhythm and meter, starting in this chapter with the basic note and rest values in this notation system. Music is a temporal art-in other words, time is one of its components-so organizing time is essential for Western musical notation.

