What is a Rest?
Musical notes are used to tell a person when to play or make a sound, a rest in music tells a person when not to play.
A Rest represent silence in music.
There are a variety of different musical rests. This is because there's a specific rest for each note value
How long are rests in music?
Well, this depends on the note.
For example, as a crochet represents one-beat, its rest also represents one-beat, so the rest (silence) lasts for the same amount of time as the note.
Why are Rests Important in Music?
Silence is often powerful, and this is definitely the case in music.
Having moments of silence within a piece of music adds depth, and helps to build tension and suspense.
Rests play a key part in creating and maintaining the rhythm and melody for a piece of music
and rests are also practical as they allow the musician allow them to catch their breath.
Semibreve Rest
This musical rest has a relative length of a whole note or the same as a semibreve. Think of the whole rest as looking a little like an upside down hat.
It has a value of 4 beats, lasting as long as the semibreve note when played.
This rest is represented by a small rectangle placed below the second line of the stave.
A semibreve rest hangs down - DOWN has four letters = 4 beats
Minim Rest
This rest has a relative length of a half note and a value of 2 beats so is the same as the minim note.
This musical rest looks similar to the semibreve rest, but its location is different. It sits on the middle line of the stave.
A minim rest sits UP - UP has Ttwo letters = 2 beats
Crotchet Rest
The crochet rest has a relative length of a quarter note and a value of 1 beat so is the same as the crochet note.
This rest looks quite different to the previous two, looking similar to a wobbly lightning bolt as opposed to a rectangle.
It's placed in the middle of the stave.
Quaver Rest
This rest has a relative length of an eighth note and a value of 1/2 a beat so is the same as the quaver note.
This musical rest also looks slightly different, looking like the number one with a black dot at the top.
The quaver rest sits in the middle of the stave.
Semiquaver Rest
This rest has a relative length of a sixteenth note and the value of 1/4 a beat, the same as the semi quaver.
This looks similar to the quaver but has an extra black dot, looking more similar to a backwards 'F'.
The semi quaver rest sits on the bottom line of the stave.
