First note of a beamed group must never fall on an off beat, unless it is preceded by a rest of a dotted note

The first four notes in bar 1 are all beamed together, making a group worth a half note. In bar 2, there is one unbeamed eighth note. It can't be beamed to the next group because that group needs to start on the third beat of the bar, to show the place of the secondary strong beat.

1. How many beats does a beamed note have?
2. What do beamed notes mean?
3. When Should notes be beamed?

How many beats does a beamed note have?

Notes on the first beat can be beamed with the second beat, notes on the second beat beamed with notes on the third beat, and notes on all three beats can be beamed.

What do beamed notes mean?

In musical notation, a beam is a horizontal or diagonal line used to connect multiple consecutive notes (and occasionally rests) to indicate rhythmic grouping. Only eighth notes (quavers) or shorter can be beamed.

When Should notes be beamed?

In music for instruments the usual thing is to beam in such a way that the beat groups are clear. If two eighths are on the same beat then they are beamed together. In 2/2 time, where the beat has the value of 4 eighth notes, you'd beam 4 of them together.