16th Notes | keyofaaron

16th Notes & 16th Note Rests

16th Notes

OR

16th notes are twice as fast as 8th notes. Just like with 8th notes, it's most efficient to play 16th notes with a down up down up strumming or picking pattern, though sometimes they can all be down to get a more aggressive sound. With 16th notes, we add more syllables between the numbers (downbeats) and the "and" (upbeats) to help us count and imagine the beats in between the 8th notes. This gives us 1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a. When playing straight 16th notes with alternate strumming/picking, the downbeats (numbers) and the "and" beats (+) become down strums and the "e" and "a" beats become upbeats.

16th Note Grid

1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a

When playing any rhythm that includes 16th notes, we can imagine that there's a grid consisting of 1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a. Even when we don't play every single one of these beats, it's important to hear every single beat so you can land your strums and picks on time.

Try these exercises that include 16th notes and 8th notes. Remember to always count and imagine the 16th note divisions even when not playing them.

1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a

v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^

1.

1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 +

v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v v

2.

1 e + a 2 e + a 3 + 4 +

v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v v v v

3.

1 e + a 2 + 3 + 4 +

v ^ v ^ v v v v v v

4.

1 + 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a

v v v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^

5.

1 + 2 + 3 e + a 4 e + a

v v v v v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^

6.

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 e + a

v v v v v v v ^ v ^

7.

1 + 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 +

v v v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ v v

8.

1 + 2 e + a 3 + 4 e + a

v v v ^ v ^ v v v ^ v ^

9.

1 + 2 e + a 3 + 4 +

v v v ^ v ^ v v v v

10.

1 + 2 + 3 e + a 4 +

v v v v v ^ v ^ v v

11.

16th Note Rests

16th note rests tell you to stop the sound for the same amount of time as a 16th note. This is one of the shortest rest times in common music notation. When placing your 16th rest on any of the 16th note markings of the "16th note grid", you will stop for that fraction of the beat and you'll play again on the next beat.

Example: (1) e (+) (a)

The example above is telling you that within the 1st beat of the measure, you'll play a 16th note on beat 1, then rest for one 16th note (the "e" syllable) then start your next note on the next 16th note division (+ or "and").

Try these following exercises to practice applying 16th note rests:

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

v v v v v v v v

1.

e a e a e a e a

v v v v v v v v

2.

1 + a 2 + a 3 + a 4 + a

v v ^ v v ^ v v ^ v v ^

3.

1 e a 2 e a 3 e a 4 e a

v ^ ^ v ^ ^ v ^ ^ v ^ ^