A musical note represents a sound. Its position on the staff tells you its pitch; its shape tells you its relative duration. Note values organize rhythm, while tempo determines their length in seconds.
Explore ten note values from maxima to hemidemisemiquaver. In this catalogue, each value lasts half as long as the one before it.
Maxima and longa are historical note values. The durations shown here use binary division. In early mensural notation, their values could vary with the mode.
01NOTE VALUE8
Maxima
A wide, open rectangular notehead with a descending stem. In this catalogue, one maxima equals two longas.
8Of a whole note
32Quarter-note beats
British English
Maxima
American English
Octuple whole note
French
Maxime
Italian
Massima
Arabic
ماكسيما (ثماني نغمات كاملة)
02NOTE VALUE4
Longa
An open square notehead with a descending stem. In this catalogue, one longa equals two breves.
4Of a whole note
16Quarter-note beats
British English
Longa
American English
Quadruple whole note
French
Longue
Italian
Lunga
Arabic
لونغا (أربع نغمات كاملة)
03NOTE VALUE2
Breve
An open notehead with double bars on each side. One breve equals two semibreves.
2Of a whole note
8Quarter-note beats
British English
Breve
American English
Double whole note
French
Carrée
Italian
Breve
Arabic
نغمة مضاعفة الكاملة
04NOTE VALUE1
Semibreve
An open notehead without a stem. One semibreve equals two minims.
1Of a whole note
4Quarter-note beats
British English
Semibreve
American English
Whole note
French
Ronde
Italian
Semibreve
Arabic
نغمة كاملة (روند)
05NOTE VALUE1/2
Minim
An open notehead with a stem. One minim equals two crotchets.
1/2Of a whole note
2Quarter-note beats
British English
Minim
American English
Half note
French
Blanche
Italian
Minima
Arabic
نصف نغمة (بلانش)
06NOTE VALUE1/4
Crotchet
A filled notehead with a stem and no flags. One crotchet equals two quavers.
1/4Of a whole note
1Quarter-note beats
British English
Crotchet
American English
Quarter note
French
Noire
Italian
Semiminima
Arabic
ربع نغمة (نوار)
07NOTE VALUE1/8
Quaver
A filled notehead with a stem and one flag. One quaver equals two semiquavers.
1/8Of a whole note
1/2Quarter-note beats
British English
Quaver
American English
Eighth note
French
Croche
Italian
Croma
Arabic
ثمن نغمة (كروش)
08NOTE VALUE1/16
Semiquaver
A filled notehead with two flags. One semiquaver equals two demisemiquavers.
1/16Of a whole note
1/4Quarter-note beats
British English
Semiquaver
American English
Sixteenth note
French
Double croche
Italian
Semicroma
Arabic
جزء من ستة عشر من النغمة الكاملة
09NOTE VALUE1/32
Demisemiquaver
A filled notehead with three flags. One demisemiquaver equals two hemidemisemiquavers.
1/32Of a whole note
1/8Quarter-note beats
British English
Demisemiquaver
American English
Thirty-second note
French
Triple croche
Italian
Biscroma
Arabic
جزء من اثنين وثلاثين من النغمة الكاملة
10NOTE VALUE1/64
Hemidemisemiquaver
A filled notehead with four flags. One hemidemisemiquaver equals two semihemidemisemiquavers.
1/64Of a whole note
1/16Quarter-note beats
British English
Hemidemisemiquaver
American English
Sixty-fourth note
French
Quadruple croche
Italian
Semibiscroma
Arabic
جزء من أربعة وستين من النغمة الكاملة
THE PATTERN CONTINUES
Beyond the sixty-fourth note
The next value is the semihemidemisemiquaver: a 1/128 note with five flags. Halving can continue indefinitely in theory: 1/256, 1/512, 1/1024, and so on. There is no mathematical smallest positive note value; very short values are rarely practical, and names vary.
11NOTE VALUE1/128
Semihemidemisemiquaver
Five flags halve the sixty-fourth note again, giving a one-hundred-and-twenty-eighth note.
1/128Of a whole note
1/32Quarter-note beats
British English
Semihemidemisemiquaver
American English
One hundred and twenty-eighth note
French
Quintuple croche
Italian
Centoventottavo
Arabic
جزء من مئة وثمانية وعشرين من النغمة الكاملة
∞
Try the next subdivision
Each click halves the duration again. The fraction changes; the rule stays the same.
Academy