The course › Unit 6: Rhythm in detail
Lesson 31 of 72 · The quarter rest, the half rest and the whole rest: counting even when you don’t play
In music, silence has a length too. You count a rest exactly like a note: you don’t play, but the steady beat keeps going.
A one-beat rest is called a quarter rest. It takes the place of a quarter note. Say “shh” for it, in a whisper, without tapping.
Ta, ta, shh, ta | ta, shh, ta-a: the quarter rest takes the place of a quarter note.
Why this way: As in the Kodály method, you mark each rest with a whispered “shh” or a small gesture, hands open: time keeps passing, even without sound. That’s what keeps you from cutting rests short without noticing.
Tap the notes. On each quarter rest, say “shh” without tapping and open your hands: the beat keeps going.
Longer rests have their own signs too. Each note value has a rest of the same length:
Measure 1: a quarter rest. Measure 2: a half rest. Measure 4: a whole rest, the whole measure in silence.
Tip: To tell them apart: the half rest sits on top of its line like a hat; the whole rest hangs down from its line like a hole.
Half rests and whole rests last a long time: count all their beats under your breath before you start again.
Right hand in C position, thumb on middle C. You don’t play the rests: the app waits for the next note. Listen to the model first to hear where they fall.
When the Saints Go Marching In: each phrase starts with a quarter rest. Count “1” in your head, play on “2, 3, 4”, and hold the whole notes for their full length. Right hand in C position. Each phrase starts on beat 2.
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