Musical Rest - The Silence in Music

A musical rest is a symbol used in music to represent silence. While notes represent the sounds we hear, rests represent the moment of silence we hear between sounds.

So notes and rests are totally the opposite of each other.

The length of silence that exists in music varies. There are different types of rest that represents the different length of silence used in music.

Below is a list of different types of rest that are used in music.

1) The first rest we will be looking at is the "Semibreve or Whole Rest". The semibreve rest last as long as 4 counts or 4 beats of silence.

2) The second rest is the "Minim or Half Rest". The minin rest last as long as 2 counts or 2 beats of silence.

3) The third rest is the "Crotchet or Quarter Rest". The quarter or crotchet rest last as long as 1 beat or 1 count of silence.

4) The four rest is the "Quaver or One Eight Rest". The quaver rest last as long as 1/2 beat of silence.

5) The fifth rest that we will look at is the "Semiquaver or 1/16 rest. The semiquaver or sixteenth rest last as long as 1/4 beat of silence.

A rest is just as important as a musical note in music. However its main purpose it to fill the gap when no sound (or note) is present in a specific part of a piece of music.

The symbols above are not all the rests used in music. There are other type of rests such as the 1/32 rest (Demisemiquaver rest) and the 1/64 rest (Hemi-demi-semiquaver rest).

The demisemiquaver rest is 1/4 the length of an eight rest and 1/2 the length of a sixteenth rest.

The hemi-demi-semiquaver rest is 1/8 the length of an eight rest and 1/4 the length of a sixteenth rest.

For more information on musical rest visit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rest_(music)
Musical symbols such as rest and note plays a great role in musical compositions and arrangements. It is also apart of the unique creation of rhythmic patterns used over the past centuries.

Other related topics on musical signs and symbols.

Musical Notes
The Treble and Bass Staff
Other Musical Symbols

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