In musical notation, what does the letter 'e' signify?

• A. and
• B. or
• C. but
• D. plus

Answer: (A)

In rhythm counting, each beat can be broken into smaller parts. When you subdivide a beat into four parts (sixteenth notes), many teachers use the pattern “one e and a, two e and a.” Here the letter e marks the second subdivision of the beat, and the word “and” is the spoken cue used for the third subdivision in that same pattern. So, in this context, the idea associated with the second subdivision is closely tied to the familiar spoken cue you hear between main counts, which is “and.” That’s why the option corresponding to “and” is identified as the best answer.