quaver

A quaver is a musical note value representing one eighth of a whole note. In American terminology it is called an eighth note; in British English it is called a quaver. The note is notated with a filled note head, a stem, and a single flag, and can also be grouped with other quavers using beams.

In most common time signatures, two quavers equal one quarter note, so a single quaver lasts half a beat when the beat is a quarter note. The exact duration depends on the tempo, which is indicated by the metronome marking or beat unit in a piece of music.

Quavers are used to subdivide rhythms across many genres of Western music. They appear in regular groupings, such as pairs in duple meter, and can be tied across bar lines to extend duration. They are often combined with other note values to create varied rhythmic patterns and syncopation.

The word quaver also exists as a verb in English, meaning to tremble or shake in voice or sound. For example, a singer may quaver when expressing emotion, or a voice may quaver during a difficult passage.

The term’s origin is English, with the sense related to trembling or quivering influencing the name. In musical notation, quaver remains the standard term in British usage for an eighth-note value.