Sixteen note subdivisions subdivide a beat into how many parts?

Sixteen note subdivisions subdivide a beat into how many parts?

• A. Two
• B. Three
• C. Four
• D. Five

Answer: (C)

Sixteenth-note subdivisions divide a beat into four equal parts. In most rock-era practice, the beat is a quarter note, and a quarter note equals four sixteenth notes, so you get four sub-beats per beat. You can count it as “one e & a” for each beat to feel the four subdivisions. That’s why the correct choice is four parts. If you used eighth notes you’d have two per beat; triplets would give three per beat; quintuplets would give five per beat, which aren’t the standard sixteenth-note grid.

Sixteenth-note subdivisions divide a beat into four equal parts. In most rock-era practice, the beat is a quarter note, and a quarter note equals four sixteenth notes, so you get four sub-beats per beat. You can count it as “one e & a” for each beat to feel the four subdivisions. That’s why the correct choice is four parts. If you used eighth notes you’d have two per beat; triplets would give three per beat; quintuplets would give five per beat, which aren’t the standard sixteenth-note grid.