Multi-measure rest
A multi-measure rest replaces two or more consecutive empty bars with one compact sign. Remain silent for the number of complete bars printed above or below its H-bar; older editions may build the sign from whole and double-whole rests.
- Notes and rests
- On the staff itself
- A straight line
Do not confuse it with
A whole-bar rest covers one bar and normally has no count; a multi-measure rest has an H-bar or old-style symbols plus a bar count.
What the sources say
- Dorico Elements — Multi-bar rests
Multi-bar rests group two or more consecutive empty bars together into a single unit
- Measure and multimeasure rests
A multimeasure rest is used to indicate a run of empty measures, the number of measures being shown by a figure above/below the staff.
- Simple Meter and Time Signatures
This example indicates that the musician is to rest for a duration of four full measures.