Rhythm Challenge: Eighth Rests (Unit 5)

What is an eighth note?

An eighth note divides a quarter note into two equal parts. It can be drawn as a single filled note head with a stem and a flag, or if two or more eighth notes are played in a row they can be drawn with a beam connecting their stems.

What is an eighth rest?

An eighth rest represents a time of silence equal to one eighth note.

What does an eighth rest symbol look like?

An eighth rest is drawn by making a round dot, then a short line to the right that swoops upward, and then a longer straight line moving down diagonally to the left. This symbol is not as tall as a note. It looks like a number 7 with a really big dot at the top left.

How do you count eighth notes and eighth rests in music?

Eighth notes and eighth rests are counted “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and” in 4/4 time, when the quarter note gets the beat. 

How many beats is an eighth note or eighth rest?

In 4/4 time, or any time signature with a 4 on the bottom, an eighth note or rest is held for half of a beat. 

What are song recommendations for practicing eighth notes and eighth rests?

Hoffman Academy’s arrangement of the French folk song Au Clair de la Lune is a recommended song for practicing eighth notes and eighth rests, as it includes a single eighth rest in the left hand part in measure 12. It indicates that the left hand should wait to play for half a beat after the right hand plays the first note of the measure. This song is an excellent way to introduce eighth rests to piano students. Watch Mr. Hoffman’s video lessons here:

Au Clair de la Lune: Right Hand
Au Clair de la Lune: Left Hand
Au Clair de la Lune: Hands Together

La Cinquantaine is another excellent song for practicing eighth notes and eighth rests. In this song, there are several measures for which the right hand waits half a beat while the left hand plays the first note, and then the right hand continues with the melody. Learn this song with Mr. Hoffman:

Transcript

Hello and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman.
Today we're learning a new more advanced
method for counting the beat while reading rhythms.
Once you know this more advanced method, you'll be ready for today's rhythm challenge.
So let's come to the heartbeat mat to get started.
You're already familiar with
the fact that quarter notes each take up one full beat.
TA TA TA TA
But eighth notes can fit two inside 1 beat.
They share the beat. TI-TI TI-TI TI-TI TI-TI
Now, let's learn a more advanced method for counting the beat
called counting a subdivided beat.
In music, subdividing a beat means to split
it into equal parts.
For example, eighth notes subdivide a
beat in two equal parts.
And sixteenth notes subdivide a beat into four equal
parts.
Well, today we're going to subdivide each beat into two equal parts like this:
Let's also give ourselves a 4/4 time signature
which means we'll
count each beat up to 4, then we'll need a bar line.
And then we count again starting at 1
So before we would count the beats like this: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
But now that we're subdividing the beat, we're going to call the first half of the beat by the beat number 1,
and then the second half of
the beat we're going to say &
for each second half like this: 1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Can you try that with me?
Let's point to each beat,
and we'll say the beat number when we're on the first half of the beat, and then we'll say & for the other half.
Ready, go:
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Correct!
Now let's try counting the subdivided beat while we clap this rhythm.
You'll notice that I replaced the bar line here with a repeat sign which means once we get
done with beat 4 we'll go back to beat 1 and do it one
more time.
Let me demonstrate what this would sound like once.
While counting the beat out loud we clap.
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Now will you try it with me?
Clap while you count the subdivided beat out loud.
Ready, go: 1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Great let's try another one.
Okay I'll demonstrate it once and then
you can try it with me.
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
1-& 2-& 3-& 4-&
Ready to try it with me?
Good! This time to cue us when to start,
I'm going to use our time signature. Since we have 4 beats I'll count 1-& 2-& ...