halvnot

Halvnot, or half note in English, is a musical note whose value is half that of a whole note. In several languages it is known as minim (British English) or Halbnote (German). The term halvnot is used in Swedish and related Nordic languages. The symbol for a half note is a hollow oval note head with a vertical stem; it has no flag. When two voices share a staff, it may appear with multiple stems or be tied across voices.

The duration of a halvnot is two beats in common time (4/4). It is exactly twice the length of a quarter note and exactly half the length of a whole note. In practice, composers may realize this duration by writing a single half note or by tying two quarter notes. The exact beat unit depends on the time signature and tempo, but the relationship to other note values remains constant: two quarter notes equal one half note, and two half notes equal a whole note.

Usage and context: halvnot is a fundamental element of Western musical notation and appears across many genres. It is commonly taught in music education as a basic duration and is used in scores for orchestral, choral, and solo music. In addition to its note form, its rest equivalent is the half rest, which lasts two beats. The concept remains consistent across standard notation systems, though terminology may vary by language.