Does a eighth note get 1 beat or 1/2 beat. Some resources I have consulted say 1 beat while others say 1/2?

Question

I'm confused...please help!

Answer 1

Half a beat.  

Answer 2

1/2 beat. Unless the time signature is in like 9/8 or anything with an 8 on the bottom, then that means that the 8th note will get the beat.

Answer 3

The resources are right and heres why . . .

Diferent time values . . .

Example:

in 4/4 time an 8th note receives 1/2 a beat 1+ 2+ 3 + 4 +

in 6/8 time an 8th note recieves 1 beat creating a different feel

as in a rock & roll love  balad or blues . . .

4/4 = ta ta /  ta ta /  ta ta /  ta ta /

or      1  +    2   +     3  +    4   +           in this ex. 1/8  notes = 1/2 bt.

6/8 = 1+a      2+a           3+a         4+a  in this ex. 1/8 notes =  1 bt.

       ta ta ta /  ta ta ta /   ta ta ta /  ta ta ta /

       1  2  3 /   4  5  6 /    1  2  3/    4  5  6 /  

anything played in 6/8 time has more of a sustained feel like the

notes are almost tied together creating a smoother flow or a feeling

of uninterupted conection from one note to the next . . .

Answer 4

And eighth note definitely gets 1/2 a beat

a quarter note gets 1 beat

a half note gets 2 beats

a whole note gets 4 beats

Answer 5

Note Values:

Whole note=4 beats

Half note=2 beats

Quarter note=1 beat

Eighth note=1/2 beat

Sixteenth note=1/4 beat

***When you add a dot you are adding half the notes value.For example,say for instance you have dotted half note(refer to the note values).A half note is 2 beats,half of 2 would be 1.So you add 2 +1=3, the dotted half note would then equal 3 beats.

Answer 6

Half a beat!

1 beat = 2 eighth notes.