SESSION 12

Rests

Music is made from patterns of times of sound joined with patterns of times of silence.

Time of sound are shown using symbols called notes.
Time of silence are shown by symbols called rests.

Rests are used in bars of music for times of silence in the same way as notes are used for times of sound.
The rest symbols are equal in time to the time taken by note symbols.

Music is written on a frame of lines called a stave. 
You will learn much more about staves in PART 3 of NOT JUST NOISE PLAINSPEAK SESSIONS.

These rests are shown on the lines of a stave.

PLW_PSS_P2S12_Whole-Rest

WHOLE REST of silence = whole note (semi-breve) of sound

PLW_PSS_P2S12_Whole-Note
PLW_PSS_P2S12_Minim-Rest

MINIM REST of silence = half-note (minim) of sound

PLW_PSS_P2S7_Note Family_Half-Note
PLW_PSS_P2S12_Crotchet-Rest

CROTCHET REST of silence = quarter-note (crotchet) of sound

PLW_PSS_P2S7_Note-Family_Quarter-Note
PLW_PSS_P2S12_Eighth-Rest

1/8 EIGHTH REST of silence = eighth-note (quaver) of sound

PLW_PSS_P2S7_Note-Family_Eighth-Note
PLW_PSS_P2S12_Sixteenth-Rest

1/16 SIXTEENTH REST of silence = sixteenth-note (semi-quaver) of sound

PLW_PSS_P2S7_Note-Family_Sixteenth-Note

Hints to help to remember of Rest Symbols

The whole-rest hangs down below the line of the stave making a flat top and resembling a bunk-bed. 
A lie down on a bed is a long rest.

PLW_PSS_P2S12_Whole-Rest
PLW_PSS_P2S12_Sleeping

Semi-breve rest is equal in length to a whole note or semi-breve.

The half-rest sits up from the line. 
Sitting up as in a chair gives a shorter rest.

PLW_PSS_P2S12_Minim-Rest
PLW_PSS_P2S12_Sitting

Half-rest or minim rest is equal in length to a minim or half note.

The quarter-rest is like a person resting by standing still.

PLW_PSS_P2S12_Crotchet-Rest
PLW_PSS_P2S12_Standing

Quarter rest or crotchet rest is equal in length to a quarter-note or crotchet.

The eighth and sixteenth rests have hooks and notes of the same name have hooks as well.
That makes them easy to recognise.

PLW_PSS_P2S12_Eighth-Rest

eighth rest or quaver rest 

PLW_PSS_P2S12_Sixteenth-Rest

sixteenth rest or semi-quaver rest

Family of Rests and Notes

PLW_PSS_P2S12_Family-of-Rests

Family of Rests

PLW_PSS_P2S12_Family-of-Notes

Family of Notes

Music-Time-Words for Rests

Words can be written for rests too but they use the sound ‘s’ for silence instead of ‘t’ for tone.

At first, you can whisper the ‘music time-words for silence’ but later you can just think them in your mind.
As you just feel the beats for the words they represent, they become beats of silence.

SILENCE / REST

SOUND / TONE

BEAT VALUE

saa

taa

=

1 beat

saa-aa

taa-aa

=

2 beat

saa-aa-aa-aa

taa-aa-aa-aa

=

4 beat

sy

ty

=

1/2 beat

Exercise / Activity

Here are some bars of time containing notes and rests.
Say the Time and Rest names as you beat the meter that the time signature gives you.

PLW_PSS_P2S12_Bars-of-Time
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