Eighth Notes

Below are images of eighth notes. Notice that one flag or one beam is attached to the stems attached to the note heads that are filled-in (black) ovals. These single flags (or single beams if there are groups of eighth notes), which as you see may be attached to stems pointed up or down, and the fact that the note heads are filled in with ink (not only outlines), are what identifies these rhythms as a eighth notes. Mathematically, eighth notes get half the value of quarter notes. Therefore, if a whole note lasts four counts (beats), a half note gets only 2 counts (beats), quarters sustain sound for 1 count each while these eighth notes get 1/2 count each. For each 8th note, sustain the sound for the length of half of one full beat. In order to count them, we subdivide the beat: 1 or & or 2 or & or 3 or & or 4 or &. Each eighth note is one pulse of the foot either Down or up.

 

Eighth Note Stem Up FlagEighth Note Stem Down Flag

Eighth Note Pair - Stem up - BeamEighth Note Pair - Stem Down - Beamed

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