Music Theory 101 - Dotted Notes, Rests, Time Signatures and More

From Espie Estrella, former About.com Guide

A sign which signifies a measured silence. A whole rest is silence equivalent to the value of a whole note (4), a half rest is silence equivalent to the value of a half note (2). To illustrate more clearly:

• whole rest = 4
  
• half rest = 2
  
• quarter rest = 1
  
• eighth rest = 1/2
  
• sixteenth rest = 1/4