Rest Duration

Rest duration is the timing of silence in a measure. It is the length of the pause in a piece of music.

Different rest types are: whole rest, half rest, quarter rest, eighth rest, and sixteenth rest. Each rest type tells you to pause or stop playing for a different amount of time.

Whole Rest (Semibreve Rest)

A whole rest (American English) or semibreve rest (British English) is a period of silence that occupies the same amount of time as a whole note. When you see the whole rest, the whole measure should be silent.

Half Rest (Minim Rest)

A half rest (American English) or minim rest (British English) is a period of silence that equals to the duration of a half note.

Quarter Rest (Crotchet Rest)

A quarter rest (American English) or crotchet rest (British English) is a period of silence that equals to the duration of a quarter note.

Eighth Rest (Quaver Rest)

An eighth rest (American English) or quaver rest (British English) is a period of silence that equals to the duration of an eighth note.

Sixteenth Rest (Semiquavers Rest)

A sixteenth rest (American English) or semiquavers rest (British English) is a period of silence that equals to the duration of a sixteenth note.

Summary of Different Rest Types and Their Relationships to Each Other

Here is a summary of the different rest types and their relationship to each other: