Note Values and Counting

A system of note values was developed during the medieval period to help musicians notate duration. Note heads of different shapes, some filled in and some not, some with stems and some not, indicated notes of different lengths. This evolved into our modern system of notation that we use today.

Whole note= w Half note= h Quarter note = q

Eighth note= e E Sixteenth note= px

Two Eighth notes= iiq Two Sixteenth notes= jq

There are 2 half notes in a whole note. There are 2 sixteenth

There are 4 quarter notes in a whole note. notes in an eighth note.

There are 8 eighth notes in a whole note.

There are 16 sixteenth notes in a whole note.

There are 2 quarter notes in a half note.

There are 4 eighth notes in a half note.

There are 8 sixteenth notes in a half note.

There are 2 eighth notes in a quarter note.

There are 4 sixteenth notes in a quarter note.