Just as seconds in ordinary time may be divided into fractions for more
precise measurement, beats may also be divided into smaller units of
musical time to accurately represent rhythms smaller than the quarter note.
A note that lasts for one half of a beat is called an eighth note (it is one
eighth of a measure). The eighth note is the same as a quarter note but with
a flag attached to the stem, which is always on the right side regardless of
stem direction. Generally, when two, three, or four eighth notes occur next
to one another, they are connected together by means of a beam (a
horizontal line), which reduces the clutter of separate flags. The equivalent
rest, the eighth rest, also has a single flag, which is drawn in the third
space as shown. Eighth rests are not beamed. As a rule, we use a single
larger rest rather than a group of small rests.
=&===I==I==G==G==É==Æ=='=9==9==9==9==9==9==9==9==
The smallest common note value lasts for one fourth of a beat and is called
a sixteenth note. It is the same as an eighth note but with two flags
attached. When two or more sixteenth notes occur within a single beat,
they are connected by a double beam. The equivalent rest, the sixteenth
rest, also has two flags, which are drawn in the second and third spaces of
the staff.
=&===J==J==G==G===É==Æ=='=8==8==8==8==8==8==8==8==
Triplets
When a note is divided into three equal parts instead of two, the result is
called a triplet. A triplet occupies the same length of time normally
occupied by two notes of the same value. This is indicated by drawing the
number ‘3’ above the group of notes, and framing it with a square bracket.
t
Dotted notes
Placed immediately after and parallel to a note head or rest, a dot increases
the value of the note or rest by one half its normal duration. This makes it