The New International Encyclopædia/Value (music)

VALUE. In music, the time-value of a note or rest, in a general sense, is the length of its duration as compared with the whole note, which is the unit of time-measure. In a special sense, the value of a note or rest is the length of its duration as compared with the particular note adopted as the unit of measure for a particular composition. Thus, in ¾ time the unit of measure is the quarter note, in ⅜ time the eighth note, etc.