Chapter 10

Rhythm: 4/4 Time and a Whole Measure of Rest

Why have we been putting four beats in every measure? The answer is written at the beginning of the music.

The time signature

The two stacked numbers are the time signature.

A 4/4 time signature followed by four quarter notes and a whole-measure rest
Four beats of sound, then one whole measure of silence.
  • The top 4 means four beats in every measure.
  • The bottom 4 means the quarter note gets the beat.

If the top number changed to 3, how many beats would each measure contain?

Three. If it changed to 5, each measure would contain five beats.

The whole rest

This hanging rectangle is a whole rest. When it appears alone in a measure, rest for the whole measure. Here in 4/4, count four silent beats: (1), (2), (3), (4).

The symbol fills four beats here because this measure is in 4/4. In another time signature, a whole-measure rest follows the length of that measure.

One measure on, one measure off

  1. Play four quarter notes while counting 1, 2, 3, 4.
  2. Mute the string at the next bar line.
  3. Keep tapping and count one whole silent measure.
  4. Return with a new note on the next beat 1.

In 4/4, the whole rest holds four silent beats. Your foot keeps moving.