What are macrons and breves?

Macrons and breves are musical symbols used to indicate the duration of notes. A macron ( _ ) is a horizontal line placed over a note to indicate that it should be held for double its normal duration. A breve ( ˘ ) is a curved line placed over a note to indicate that it should be held for half its normal duration.

For example, a quarter note with a macron would be held for two beats, while a quarter note with a breve would be held for one beat.

Macrons and breves are most commonly used in classical music, but they can also be found in other genres of music, such as jazz and folk music.