Note Values
Whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth — each one is exactly half the length of the one before it.
A system of constant halving
In common time, a whole note fills an entire 4-beat measure. Split it in half and you get a half note (2 beats). Split that in half again for a quarter note (1 beat) — the note that usually equals "the beat" itself. Keep halving: an eighth note is half a beat, and a sixteenth note is a quarter of a beat.
Note values chart
| Note value | Beats in 4/4 | Notehead | Stem & flags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole note | 4 | Open, no stem | — |
| Half note | 2 | Open | Plain stem |
| Quarter note | 1 | Filled | Plain stem |
| Eighth note | 0.5 | Filled | 1 flag (or beam) |
| Sixteenth note | 0.25 | Filled | 2 flags (or beams) |
How many fit in a 4-beat measure:
Common questions
How many beats is a whole note?
4 beats in common time — it fills an entire standard measure.
How many eighth notes fit in one beat?
Two — each eighth note is worth half a quarter-note beat.
What tells you a note is an eighth or sixteenth note?
Flags on the stem — one flag for eighth, two for sixteenth. Grouped notes often share a beam instead.
Are note value durations fixed in seconds?
No — only relative to each other. Actual length in seconds depends on the tempo.
Feel every note value, not just read it
Melody Monkey plays rhythms out loud as you learn them — free to try.
Open the metronome →Still stuck? Ask Your Personal Music Teacher about Note Values →