ABSTRACT
Rests are symbols used to indicate silence in music; every note value has a corresponding rest as indicated in the chart below. The exception to this rule is the whole rest: in addition to being equal to a whole note, it can also indicate a silence that lasts through an entire measure, regardless of the number of beats. On their most complex level, rests are musical entities that help to give music space, influence phrasing, create drama, provide rhythmic energy, wreak havoc with metric impulses, add humor, or create ambiguity in music.
