Simple Time Note Values

Note values in music represent the rhythm of the piece. Below are notes with their values. The top note is called a dotted minim, it is worth 3 beats. The three notes underneath are called crotchets and they are worth one beat each. The notes underneath with the tails are called quavers, they are worth half a beat. The last row of notes with two tails are called semiquavers and they are worth a quarter of a beat.

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The picture below shows another chart of the simple time note values. The semibreve is worth four beats, the minims are worth two beats each, the crotchets are worth one beat each, the quavers are worth half a beat each and the semiquavers are worth a quarter of a beat each.

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If we look at the last line, the picture below shows the notes with three tails. They are called demisemiquavers and they are worth an eighth of a beat.

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For more information see:

Warburton, Annie O. Basic Music Knowledge. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Print, p. 1.