Every melody note in a song has a rhythmic value.  Even silence (rests) have a rhythmic value.  The rhythmic value refers to the duration or length of time for a particular note, defined as the number of beats the note (or rest) should last.

Because FastChords deals with contemporary music found in fake books, the following is the list of rhythmic values for notes and rests recognized by the program:

whole note  =  4 beats

whole rest  =  4 beats

half note  =  2 beats

half rest  =  2 beats

dotted half note = 3 beats

dotted half rest = 3 beats

dotted quarter note =

                       1 1/2 beats

dotted quarter rest =

                       1 1/2 beats

quarter note = 1 beat.

quarter rest = 1 beat.

dotted eighth note =

                          3/4 beats

dotted eighth rest =

                          3/4 beats

eighth note = 1/2 beat

eighth rest = 1/2 beat

dotted sixteenth note =
                          3/8 beat

dotted sixteenth rest =
                          3/8 beat

sixteenth note = 1/4 beat

sixteenth rest = 1/4 beat

The default rhythmic value of chords and melody notes added to the chords table is that of a quarter note.