Music Note Value Table
The primary music note values you will need to learn to begin your music theory education include the quarter note, half note, dotted half note and the whole note. Each note looks different and is worth a different number of beats or counts.
As you examine each one of the musical notes and symbols on this page take your time and follow some of the links within this page on the various musical subjects you would like to know more about if your skill level or knowledge level requires more in depth information. For example, follow these links if you would like to know more about music intervals or treble clef space notes.
As seen in the music note and rest table below, each quarter note, half note and whole note has an equivalent rest value with the same name of quarter rest, half rest and whole rest. The dotted half note can be seen in the 2nd table below along with its equivalent rest beside it.
Music Notes and Rests Table
Music Note Values
Looking at the music note values on the 4 measures of music on the staff below reveal several important facts for you to learn. The numbers of 3 over 4 at the very beginning of the line are the time signature and that means that there are only 3 beats or counts in every measure on this line. The first measure includes 3 quarter notes and the numbers below the quarter notes are the counts that we would say while playing each quarter note.
The music note values in the second measure include 2 sets of EIGHTH NOTES and end with a QUARTER NOTE. Eighth notes receive one-half beat each. The third measure begins with a HALF NOTE and it gets 2 beats or counts. The last measure of this line of music includes only a DOTTED HALF NOTE.
The best way to learn these music note values within the context of counting and rhythm is to clap the rhythm first. Please take the time to study the pictures of the musical notes and symbols below before concerning yourself with how to count music.
Music Notes and Symbols
Music Symbols and Notes
Being able to recognize the music symbols and notes and their study is very much like learning a foreign language. Each note looks different and has a different time value, just as each word has a different meaning in another language. It is interesting to know that the evolution of musical notes and symbols spans about 4000 years across many cultures known and unknown on planet earth. Because the first musical notation book came out a monastery in Italy, a lot of musical symbols are written in the Italian language to this day.
Quarter Note
A quarter note (American) or crotchet (British) are the same musical symbol. It is performed by playing for the duration of one quarter of a whole note (or semibreve). Quarter notes (as seen in the 2 images immediately below) are created with a filled-in oval note head and a stem. The direction of the stem points upward if the note head is on or below the middle line. On the other hand the stem points downwards if the note head is on or above the middle line.
Quarter Notes on Music Staff
The quarter note has a music note value of ONE beat or count. To correctly perform a quarter note on the piano you would speak the word “one” and hold the quarter note only for the duration of that word and then release the note. Each type of music note symbol is held for a different duration or time value.
Half Note
A half note (American) or minim (British) receives two beats or hall of the duration of a whole note as well as two times the value of a quarter note. The half note is two beats long a long as the bottom number of the time signature is a 4, such as in 3/4 or 4/4 time.
Half Notes on Music Staff
Dotted Half Note
View the note value table at the bottom of this post to find the dotted half note. It has a note head which is hollow with a stem. In addition to the note is the DOT beside the note. This dot makes the dotted half note worth 3 beats or counts.
Dotted Half Note in Music
Pay special attention to the other dotted notes in music with their equivalent rests. The dot beside any note or rest in music notation means to add the value of half of what the original symbol was worth to that value. For example, a half note gets 2 beats and the dot makes that note worth half again as much for a total of 3 beats.
Whole Note
The whole note music note symbol is hollow with no stem and has a music note value of FOUR Beats or Counts.
Whole Note on Music staff
Take the next step with your music note value knowledge and learn how to count music and music beats!
Related Beginner Piano Topics:
Left Hand Piano Finger Exercise for C, D and E
Music Flash Cards for Treble and Bass Clef Notes
Piano Sheet Music
C, D, E Waltz for Right Hand Piano
