MI: LIBRARY: THEORY: BASICS: RESTS

Rests indicate silence.  Each note have its corresponding rest sign.

Whole note rest

Half note rest

Quarter note rest

Eighth note rest

16th note rest

32nd note rest

64th note rest

In ensemble music, parts may have several measures of rest at a time.  A long rest sign, with a number above, indicates the number of measures of rest.  The rest sign is drawn through the center line:

   8 measure rest