Half Notes | keyofaaron

Half Notes and Half Rests

Half Notes

A half note takes up two beats. This means that you would play your note or chord on one beat and let it ring for that beat and the next beat.

Example With Count

1 (2) 3 (4)

If you play straight half notes in 4/4 time or common time, your first note will end up being held out for beats 1 and 2 and your second note will end up being held out for beats 3 and 4. This adds up to two half notes. Because one half note takes up two beats, two of them will take up four beats. In 4/4, we have four beats in a measure allowing us only two half notes within that measure.

Strum Pattern

1 (2) 3 (4)

v v

Since playing straight half notes will still always land on the downbeats (1 and 3), it's most intuitive to strum or pick each chord or note downwards.

Half Rests

Just like with quarter notes and quarter rests, a half note also has it's rest counterpart. A half note is held out for two beats while a half rest stops all sound for two beats.

Half Note & Half Rest Exercises

Pick a chord or note and try some of the following exercises combining half notes and half rests:

1 2 3 4

v v

1.

1 2 3 4

v

2.

1 2 3 4

v

3.

Now try some exercises that combine half notes, half rests, quarter notes and quarter rests: