Rhythms
Rhythm notation answers two questions: how many beats fit in a bar (the time signature), and how long each sound or silence lasts (note values and rests). Every row here plays over a click, so you hear the length instead of imagining it.
Time signatures
The top number counts beats per bar; the bottom 4 means a quarter note gets one beat. The kick marks every bar's ONE.
the march: ONE two, ONE two
the waltz: ONE two three
the default. Most songs live here
the lilt: two big beats splitting in threes. Jigs and ballads
Note values
Each value's length in beats, its symbol, and its letter fallback. Demos fill one bar of 4/4 with the value so you hear how it divides the pulse.
Whole note4 beats · "ta-a-a-a"
Half note2 beats · "ta-a"
Quarter note1 beat · "ta"
Eighth note½ beat · "ti"
Sixteenth note¼ beat · "ti-ka"
Dotted half note3 beats · "ta-a-a" · the dot adds half the value again
Dotted quarter note1½ beats · "tam" · the dot adds half the value again
Dotted eighth note¾ beat · "tim" · the dot adds half the value again
Eighth-note triplet⅓ beat · "tri-o-la" · travels in threes. Three fill one beat
Rests
Silence with an exact length. Every note value has a silent twin. The click keeps going underneath, so you can feel the hole.
Whole rest4 beats · a full bar of silence (hangs under the line)
Half rest2 beats · two silent beats (sits on the line)
Quarter rest1 beat · one silent beat. The squiggle
Eighth rest½ beat · half a beat of silence