Chapter 9

Rhythm: The Quarter Rest and Silent Beats

A quarter note is one beat of sound. What would one beat of silence look like?

The quarter rest

A quarter rest gives us one silent beat. The beat does not disappear. Your foot still taps and the count still moves forward.

A four-beat measure with quarter notes on beats 1, 2, and 4 and a quarter rest on beat 3
Beat 3 is silent, but it is still there.

Count the measure as 1, 2, (3), 4. The parentheses remind you not to clap or play on beat 3.

If you do not pluck on beat 3, but beat 2 keeps ringing, did you play the rest?

No. A rest begins when the sound stops.

Guitar

Play beats 1, 2, and 4. Mute the string exactly on beat 3 with either hand.

Bass

Low notes keep ringing. Play beats 1, 2, and 4, then mute the string exactly on beat 3.

Sound and silence

  1. Tap all four beats.
  2. Count all four beats, but clap only 1, 2, and 4.
  3. Play the same rhythm on one open string.
  4. Repeat until the silence lands exactly on beat 3.

A rest is not empty time.

It is measured silence.