Grade 1: Notes & note values: Introduction

The following are the basic notes that you will need to know for your grade 1 exam.

The Semibreve

In music, a semibreve is a note that typically lasts four beats in common time (4/4).

• It’s also called a whole note in American terminology.

• It’s written as a hollow oval with no stem: 𝅝

• In terms of duration, it’s twice as long as a minim (half note) and four times as long as a crotchet (quarter note).

• In older music notation, it was one of the longest note values, which is why “semi-breve” literally means “half-short” in Latin—it was half the length of the breve.

If you think of a bar of 4/4 time, a semibreve would fill the entire bar with a single sustained sound.

The Minim

In music notation, a minim is a note that lasts two beats in common time (4/4).
It’s also called a half note in American terminology.

• Symbol: An open (hollow) oval note head with a straight stem.

• Duration: Twice as long as a quarter note (crotchet) and half as long as a whole note (semibreve).

• Example in 4/4: If the beat is a crotchet (quarter note), then a minim would last for two beats — you’d count it as “1–2” or “3–4.”

Basically, if crotchets are walking, minims are like taking a slower stroll — you hold the sound twice as long.

The Crotchet

In music, a crotchet is the British term for what Americans call a quarter note.

• Value: It lasts for one beat in common time (4/4).

• Appearance: It has a filled-in (black) oval note head with a straight stem.

• Function: It’s one of the basic rhythmic units, often used as a steady pulse or beat reference.

So if you’re tapping along to a song in 4/4, each tap usually matches the duration of a crotchet.

The Quaver

In music, a quaver is a note that lasts for half the duration of a crotchet (quarter note).

• In 4/4 time, a crotchet gets 1 beat, so a quaver gets half a beat.

• In written notation, a quaver is shown as a filled-in oval note head with a stem and one flag (or one beam if grouped with other quavers).

• If you see two quavers joined by a beam, each still counts for half a beat.

In everyday terms: if you tap your foot to the beat of a song, a quaver is played twice as fast as the beat.

The Semiquaver

In music, a semiquaver is a note that lasts for one-sixteenth of the duration of a whole note (semibreve).

• In 4/4 time, a semiquaver is one-quarter of a beat (since a beat is usually a crotchet/quarter note).

• It’s written as a small filled-in note head with a stem and two flags (or two beams when joined to other notes).

• In faster passages, semiquavers create rapid, flowing movement.

For example, in 4/4 time:

• 1 semibreve = 4 beats

• 1 crotchet = 1 beat

• 1 quaver = ½ beat

• 1 semiquaver = ¼ beat

🎵 Think of it like: if a crotchet is “ta,” a semiquaver is “tika” — quick and snappy.