half note

noun

, Music.

1. a note equivalent in time value to one half of a whole note; minim.

half-note

noun

1. a note having the time value of half a semibreve Also calledminim

Word History and Origins

Origin of half note¹

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

Curly’s voice cracked which he’d try to cover up by sliding up or down a half note.

From Los Angeles Times

Ending with quarter notes, half notes, or even quarter notes and a rest gives a sense of finality to the rhythm.

From Literature

Figure 1.39: Note lengths work just like fractions in arithmetic: two half notes or four quarter notes last the same amount of time as one whole note.

From Literature

“I write long-line stuff in either whole notes or half notes,” he added.

From New York Times

I think that in any music you play, this heaviness also comes from — if you see, let’s say, a dotted half note or a long note, people just sit on it forever.

From New York Times