The stem rule tells us which direction the stem of a music note must be written on the music staff. You may have noticed that sometimes you see stems going up for some notes and going down for others.

Half Note or Minim. A half note (or minim) is half the value of a whole note. Therefore, 2 half notes add up to the same length as one whole note. The half notes symbol is a notehead with a stem: Quarter Note or Crotchet. A quarter note (or crotchet) is a quarter of the value of a whole note. Therefore, 4 quarter notes add up to one whole note.

The stem of a half note can either face up or down. It all depends on where it is on the staff. When the note is below the middle line of the staff, the stem is drawn on the right of the note head and faces up.

A half note (also called a minim in British English) is a note in traditional Western music notation that is notated with an open note head and a stem. Here is a half note on a five-line staff: When writing a half note (or any note with a stem), if it is below the middle line, the stem points up:

As with all notes with stems, half notes are drawn with upward stems on the right when they are below the middle line of the staff and downward stems on the left when they are on or above the middle line. In vocal music, notes on the middle line have a …

Apr 5, 2016 · But how do you determine when you need to draw an up-stem or a down-stem? If there’s just a single melody line, it’s actually super-easy. When you’re below the middle line, the stems go up. It’s just basic logic – there’s much more room for an up-stem here.

Oct 23, 2024 · Half notes are notated by an open oval or circular head, with a stem that is not flatlined. The stem can be either up or down, but the direction of the stem does not affect the note’s duration. Here’s a breakdown of how to notate a half note: Note head: The note head is the oval or circular shape at the top of the note.

Mar 17, 2025 · What is a half note? The half note, or minim, lasts for 2 beats, or twice as long as a quarter note. Half note symbol. The half note consists of an open note head (the open circle) with a stem extending up or down depending on where the notes are placed on the staff, as before. How many beats is a half note? The half note lasts for two beats.

Stem. The stem of a note is the straight line or “stick” attached to the notehead. It really has no real significance other than helping to identify the value of the note. For example, whole notes do not have a stem while half notes and quarter notes do. The stems can either point up or down.

Apr 19, 2023 · The note above is called a half note or minim in the UK. It is represented by a small oval and then a line, also called the stem, on either the right hand side if the step is point up or the left hand side if the stem is pointing down.