Double whole note

A double whole note, also known as a breve, is a musical note that lasts for twice the duration of a whole note. In standard musical notation, it is represented by an oval note head with a stem (often with no tail or with a tail that goes up or down). In terms of beats, in common time (4/4), a double whole note is typically worth 8 beats. It is often used in compositions to indicate longer sustained pitches.