Introducing Rests: Quarter Note Rest

So now we're going to introduce rests, in this case, the quarter note rest.

The Importance of Rests

Rests are sometimes equally as important in music as the notes that we do play because we need to allow the music space to breathe a little bit. Sometimes some of the other instrumentalists might be playing in that part, and they don't want the drums.

Being Comfortable with Spaces

• We need to be really comfortable with the spaces we're leaving.
• I really recommend counting through these exercises and just counting in general.

As you get more advanced, you'll probably want to count in your head rather than out loud. I mean, if I'm doing gigs or recording sessions, I don't count out loud, but I am always thinking about:

• The timing
• The counting
• The space between the rhythms

Especially as the rhythms get a bit more syncopated, where the rhythms are in unusual places or where the rests are. You want to count to keep that constant.

Example 1: Adding a Rest

In example one, we're going to add a rest, a quarter note rest, to beat four.

• So again, we want to count, making sure that the rest lasts exactly the same amount of time as the notes that you're playing in the run-up to it.

Next, we're going to look at moving the rest around, perhaps putting it on beat two.

• Again, this is where your counting is very important, so you know where that is.
• You can also explore moving the rest between beat three, beat two, and beat four, getting comfortable with the space between what we're playing.

Additional Example: Multiple Rests

We're also going to take another example where there are two quarter note rests in a row.

• Definitely count through those so that we don't squeeze that gap and come in too early with the next bar.