How long is a in music and how can you tell when the first ends second begins?

A musical note's length is referred to as its duration. Notes can be short or long, and duration determines the musical rhythm. Various time signatures such as 4/4, 3/4, or 6/8, specify how many beats each measure (or bar) contains. Each beat usually corresponds to a quarter note.

Duration can also be denoted by other symbols that tell you how many beats each note should last, such as:

- half notes (last 2 beats)

- dotted quarter notes (last 1.5 beats)

- eighth notes (last ½ beat)

- sixteenth notes (last ¼ beat)

As for telling when one note ends and another begins, there are several ways including:

- Barlines: Vertical lines that divide the staff into measures, which indicate the start and end of each musical phrase.

- Note Stems: Stems facing down indicate the first note in a bar, while those pointing up indicate subsequent notes.

- Note Heads: The filled note head marks the downbeat or the first note in the bar, and the unfilled note head marks the other beats.

- Meter Signature: This specifies how many beats are in a bar and what note value gets one beat.

- Conductor's Gestures: In live performances, conductors use hand gestures to visually show the start and end of each beat, helping musicians stay synchronized.