Reading Notes On Sheet Music

A quarter note will look just like a half note except the circle section will be completely Each of these notes in a measure are held for one-quarter of a beat. Your next note will be a quarter note. You will never see a whole note on the same measure as another note except in very specific time signatures which are the rare exception indeed. As the name implies this type of note will only be held for half the time that a whole note would be held.

This note will look like a small open circle with a line rising up from the right side. The next type of note is a half note. This difference aside the whole note will always be considered a whole note unless there is another bit of musical notation added which will be discussed later on. A whole note in 4/4 time will be held for a full four beats whereas one in 3/4 time will only be held for three beats.

A whole note that falls under different time signatures will not be held for the same length of time however. A whole note is one that is held for the full measure of a beat. It looks like an open circle and will occupy one full measure (the space between two of the vertical bars which are placed at even integrals across the staff. A whole note is the first note that you should be able to recognize easily.