Notes and rests Musical note and rest values are not absolutely defined, but are proportional in duration to all other note and rest values. The whole note is the reference value, and the other notes are named (in American usage) in comparison: i.e., a quarter note is a quarter of the length of a whole note. Note British name American name Rest Larse (Latin: Maxima) octuple whole note Long Quadruple whole note Breve Double whole note Semibreve Whole note Minim Half note Crotchet Quarter note