Art & music · Grades 3–8
Rhythm, metre and musical symbols · revision card
The counting examples use 4/4 time with a quarter note equal to one beat.
Keep these ideas clear
State the beat unit
The counting examples use 4/4 time with a quarter note equal to one beat.
Sound and silence
A rest occupies musical time even when no sound is played.
Two useful examples
In 4/4 time with a quarter-note beat, how many beats does a half note last?
A half note equals two quarter-note beats.
2
In the stated metre, how many quarter-note beats fit in one full bar?
The top number 4 gives four quarter-note beats.
4
Explain it without looking
- Write one bar of 4/4 using quarter notes, half notes or equivalent rests, and explain the total.
Learning preview · teacher review required. Grade bands are approximate, not official curriculum alignment.