Whole note (or "breve", hence the British name "semibreve") lasts twice as long as a whole note. A related symbol is the whole rest (or semibreve rest). It usually applies for an "entire measure", but may occasionally mean a rest for the duration of a whole note, in longer time signatures such as or . (An entire measure rest is drawn centered within the measure, whereas a rest lasting for a whole note is aligned to where the note would be.) Whole rests are drawn as filled-in rectangles generally hanging under the second line from the top of a musical staff, though
Time signature The meter is a simple time signature that represents three quarter notes (crotchets). It is felt as "Compound": In principle, comprises not three groups of two eighth notes (quavers) but two groups of three eighth-note (quaver) subdivisions. It is felt as These examples assume, for simplicity, that continuous eighth notes are the prevailing note values. The rhythm of actual music is typically not as regular. Time signatures indicating "two" beats per bar (whether in simple or compound meter) are called "duple meter", while those with "three" beats to the bar are "triple meter". Terms such as "quadruple" (4), "quintuple" (5),