Rhythm - Dotted Note and Rest Values

Rule: A dot placed to the right of a note/rest, increases the note/rest by half of it's value.

It is one of the ways used to extend the duration of sound (a note) or silence (a rest).

Let's use an example to clear this up. A half note is 2 beats long. With a dotted half note, we'd hold the note for 2 beats, plus half of it's original value, which is 1 beat. Therefore, we hold the note for a total of 3 beats long. 2 beats (original value) + 1 beat (half of original value.)

Get it? No? Let's try again. What if we did a dotted quarter note? How long would that be held for? Well, let's follow the formula. A quarter note is 1 beat long. For a dotted quarter note, we'd play and hold the note for the original value plus half of its original value. For the dotted quarter note, you would hold it for 1 1/2 beats (the length of 1 quarter note and 1 eighth note.)