There are three special throws: a "0" is a pause with an empty hand, a "1" is a quick pass straight across to the other hand, and a "2" is a momentary hold of an object. Throws longer than "9" beats are given letters starting with "a". The number of beats a ball is in the air usually corresponds to how high it was thrown, so many people refer to the numbers as heights, but this is not technically correct; all that matters is the number of beats in the air, not how high it is thrown. For example, bouncing a ball takes longer than a throw in the air to the same height, and so can be a higher siteswap value while being a lower throw.