Going Beyond Basic Note Values
You already know quarter notes (1 beat), half notes (2 beats), and whole notes (4 beats). These cover simple rhythms but not the more complex patterns found in most popular music. To describe and play these accurately, you need eighth notes and sixteenth notes.
Eighth Notes
An eighth note lasts half a beat. Two eighth notes fit in one beat. In a bar of 4/4 time, there are 8 eighth notes total.
Eighth notes are counted by adding the word "and" (written as &) between the main beats:
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Each number and each & represents one eighth note. The numbers fall when your foot goes down, the & falls when your foot comes back up. Downstrokes usually fall on numbers, upstrokes on the &.
Your foot taps on 1, 2, 3, and 4 only — never on the &. The & is between taps. This is critical: many beginners accidentally tap on the & when they first learn this system, which destroys the rhythm.
Sixteenth Notes
A sixteenth note lasts one quarter of a beat. Four sixteenth notes fit in one beat. They are counted by adding 'e' and 'a' (pronounced as letters) between each beat and &:
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Sixteenth notes appear in faster strumming patterns and funk rhythm guitar. For most folk and fingerpicking styles, eighth notes are far more common. Learn to count sixteenth notes accurately but do not feel you need to master them immediately.
Rests
A rest is a period of silence. Rests have the same durations as notes:
- Whole rest — 4 beats of silence
- Half rest — 2 beats of silence
- Quarter rest — 1 beat of silence
- Eighth rest — half a beat of silence
During a rest, count normally but do not play. If open strings are ringing from the previous note, you may need to lightly touch the strings with your right hand to damp them — this is called a rest stroke damping. Always count through rests — they are part of the rhythm, not an opportunity to pause.
Dotted Notes Revisited
You learned dotted half notes in Lesson 15. The dot principle applies to all note values:
1 beat + ½ beat = 1.5 beats. Very common in folk and country. Usually followed by an eighth note to complete 2 beats.
½ beat + ¼ beat = ¾ of a beat. Creates a 'long-short' feel. Usually paired with a sixteenth note. Common in marches and jigs.
Applying This to Strumming
Now that you understand eighth notes and the & count, the strumming patterns from earlier lessons make complete sense:
- A down-up strum pattern of 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & is eight eighth notes per bar
- A pattern like 1 2 & 3 4 & mixes quarter notes and eighth notes
- When you see a rest, damp the strings and count silently through it
This notation system precisely describes every strumming and fingerpicking rhythm ever written. Once it is familiar, you can accurately read and replicate any guitar pattern from sheet music or books.
What's Next?
Lesson 24 covers sharps, flats, and natural signs — the accidentals that add notes between the seven natural notes and open up every key on the guitar neck.