The length of a note will tell you how many beats it covers in a measure. The most common note lengths are:
- Whole Note (U.S.), Semibreve (U.K.)
Covers every beat in 4/4 time.
In common time, a whole note takes all four beats. - Half Note (U.S.), Minim (U.K.)
Is half the length of a whole note.
Covers two beats in common time. - Quarter Note (U.S.), Crotchet (U.K.)
Is 1/4 the length of a whole note.
Is one beat in common time. - Eighth Note (U.S.), Quaver (U.K.)
Is 1/8 the length of a whole note; half the length of a quarter note.
Two eighth notes make one beat. - Sixteenth Note (U.S.), Semiquaver (U.K.)
Is 1/16 the length of a whole note; half the length of an eighth note.
Four sixteenth notes equal one beat of common time. - Thirty-Second Note (U.S.), Demisemiquaver (U.K.)
Is 1/32 the length of a whole note; 1/4 the length of an eighth note.
Eight thirty-second notes equal one beat of common time. - Sixty-Fourth Note (U.S.), Hemidemisemiquaver (U.K.)
Is 1/64 the length of a whole note; 1/8 of an eighth note.
Sixteen sixty-fourth notes equal one beat of common time.