Whole note rest may also be used in music of free rhythm, such as Anglican chant, to denote a whole measure. A whole note (American) or semibreve (British) is a musical note represented by a hollow oval note head—like a half note (or "minim")—and no note stem (see Figure 1). Its length is equal to four beats in time, that is the whole measure (or bar). Most other notes are fractions of the whole note. Half notes last for one half the duration of the whole note, quarter notes (or "crotchets") last for one quarter the duration, and a double whole note
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),