Half Note (Minim)
A half note is an open notehead with a stem. It lasts twice as long as a quarter note, so in 4/4 it spans two quarter-note beats.
- open notehead
- one stem
- two quarters
What does a half note look like?
Its notehead is open, like a whole note's, but a stem rises or falls from it. There is no flag. The stem helps you distinguish it from a whole note at a glance.
How many beats is a half note?
In 4/4, two quarter-note beats. Two half notes fill the bar: one begins on 1 and the other on 3. In 2/2, the half note itself is the main beat, so each written half note is counted as one beat. The ratio to other note values stays the same.
What does a half rest look like?
The half rest sits on top of a staff line, unlike the whole rest, which hangs below one. Count the same duration in silence. Try alternating a sounding half note on beats 1–2 with a half rest on 3–4; the next bar still begins on time.
How does it compare with a quarter note?
A quarter note has a filled notehead. Two quarters take as long as one half note. When reading, keep the next attack in its written place rather than slowing the whole pulse to make the longer note fit.