Eighth Note Symbol ♪

The eighth note is a crucial rhythmic component in the language of music and is identified by its distinctive visual symbol (). It is essential for breaking up beats and adding movement and energy to compositions. We shall examine the meaning, composition, and usage of the eighth note in music in this article.

The Significance of the Eighth Note

  • Rhythmic division: The division of beats within a musical measure is based on the eighth note. It gives rhythms a sense of complexity and diversity, enabling players to construct interesting and dynamic patterns.
  • Flow and Continuity: The music's flow and continuity are enhanced by the eighth note. They add a sense of momentum and energy to the music by moving quickly and evenly spaced out.
  • Potential for Expression: Eighth notes can be used by musicians to express different degrees of passion and emotion in a composition. The way eighth notes are performed, whether legato, staccato, or accented, can have a big effect on the composition's overall mood.

Structure and Duration

The eighth note has a distinct structure and duration:

  • Symbol: A solid notehead with a straight stem and a flag (♫) is used to symbolize the eighth note. Groups of eight notes connected by flags are referred to as "eighth note beams."
  • Duration: Two eighth notes (beamed together) fill a full beat in 4/4 time, while one eighth note lasts for half a beat. Usually, the eighth note is combined with other rhythmic values to form complex patterns.

Application in Music

In music, the eighth note has several crucial functions:

  • Eighth notes are frequently used by musicians to create complex rhythmic patterns. They can be used to create interesting and varied rhythms by combining them with other note values, such as quarter notes, sixteenth notes, and rests.
  • Syncopation: Accents fall on offbeats in syncopated rhythms, which heighten the sense of rhythmic tension and surprise. Eighth notes are commonly used in these rhythms.
  • Accents and Articulations: To emote and interpret, musicians can use a variety of accents and articulations on eighth notes. For instance, if you play a series of eighth notes staccato, they sound sharp and detached; if you play them legato, they sound smoother.

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Eighth Note Symbol Information

Symbol Name Eighth Note
Unicode Version 1.1 (June 1993)
Unicode U+266A
CSS Code \266A
HTML Entity ♪
Hex Code ♪
HTML Code ♪

Eighth Note Symbol Encoding

UTF-8 0xE2 0x99 0xAA
UTF-16 0x266A
UTF-32 0x0000266A


Eighth Note symbol's PNG and SVG files


How to add eighth note symbol via keyboard on different Operating systems

You can type the eighth note on most modern devices with the help of following methods:

How to type eighth note symbol on Microsoft Word

You can type the eighth note on microsoft Microsoft Word using steps mentioned below:

  • Place your cursor in the text area where you need to insert the symbol and type 2 6 6 A
  • Without moving the cursor press keys Alt + x together
  • The original 2 6 6 A is now transformed into ♪

How to type eighth note symbol on Microsoft Windows

You can type the eighth note on Microsoft windows using following steps:

  • Hold Alt and press to type eighth note on your windows machine.

How to type eighth note symbol on Mac OS

You can type the eighth note on Mac OS using following steps:

  • Place your cursor in the text area where you need to insert the symbol
  • Press Ctrl + ⌘ Command + ⎵ Space to bring up the Character Viewer. Alternatively, choose Edit ⇒ Emoji & Symbols
  • Type “Eighth Note” in the search field at the top and press Enter
  • The symbol should appear. Click on it to insert it into your text
  • How to type eighth note symbol on Mac OS
    How to type eighth note symbol on Mac OS

How to type eighth note symbol on Linux

You can type the eighth note on Linux using following steps:

  • Place your cursor in the text area where you need to insert the symbol
  • Hold ⇧ Shift + Ctrl and press the letter + U
  • Press keys 2 6 6 A consecutively
  • And then press ↵ Enter , the desired symbol will be added to your document

How to type eighth note symbol on IOS and Android

The easiest way to type the eighth note on ios and android is to copy and paste it wherever you need it.


How to use eighth note in CSS

Copy // css example
span {
content: "\266A";
}

How to type eighth note in HTML

Copy // html example
<span>&#9834;</span>

Eighth Note symbol representation in programming languages

eighth note's representation in different programming languages can be found in table below:

Language Representation
Rust \u{266A}
Ruby \u{266A}
Python \u266A
PHP \u{266A}
Perl "\x{266A}"
Java \u266A
Modern JavaScript - Since ES6 \u{266A}
JavaScript \u266A
Go \u266A
C# \u266A
C and C++ \u266A
Bash and Zsh - inside echo -e \u266A
RFC 5137 \u'266A'
No Result
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