Rests in any time

About 2 min to read, then 5 practice questions

The dotted minim rest

6/4: beat 2 silent, a dotted minim rest

In  and  each beat is a dotted minim, so a whole silent beat is a dotted minim rest. It is used only in those times: elsewhere, three silent crotchet beats are a minim rest and a crotchet rest.

Quick check

In , a whole bar is silent. Which rest?

Finish the beat first

Beat 1 finished, then one dotted rest

In any time, finish the beat first. After that, each silent beat has a rest of its own: a dotted rest for a compound beat, a plain rest for a simple one.

Quick check

In , a quaver starts beat 1, and the rest of the bar is silent. Which rests?

Remember

Dotted minim rest: a silent beat in 6/4 or 9/4 only.
Finish the beat first, then one rest a beat.
A whole silent bar: a semibreve rest.

Practise this: 5 questions, about 4 min

Answering from memory soon after reading is what makes it stick, so now is a good time.

XP for every question right first time
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