An eighth rest on sheet music resembles a stylized ‘7’ and is analogous to an eighth note. An eighth rest lasts for one-half of one beat. Therefore, two eighth rests equal one quarter note, just the same as two eighth notes.

In measure two beats one and four contain quarter notes, and beats two and three are each divided into two equal eighth notes. This is an eighth rest. Wherever there is an eighth rest you should remain silent for half of a beat. Just like an eighth note, an eighth rest can occur on either the down beat or the up beat.

An eighth rest is half the length of a quarter rest. In other words two eighth rests make up a quarter rest, while four of them make up a half rest, and eight 1/8 notes make up a whole rest.

Eighth Rest An eighth rest (or quaver rest) lasts the same duration as an eighth note or a quaver – half a beat. The symbol for an eighth rest looks a bit like a number 7 written in the middle of the stave: Here is an example of eighth rests: Vm Eighth Rest Example P

The Dolmetsch Online Music Dictionary says that an Eight Rest is to rest one eighth the time value of a whole rest. (Do you see the math in these values? I love it! A Whole Note = 2 Half Notes = 4 Quarter Notes = 8 Eighth Notes.