Chapter 1 - Notation Flashcards
When notating music, we use symbols that show 3 of the 4 properties of music. Pitch & duration are given accurately and simultaneously, and relative intensity is indicated as well.
Pitch
The frequency (highness or lowness) of a tone.
Staff
5 lines, 4 spaces
Letter Names
A, B, C, D, E, F, G
Clefs
Symbol placed at the beginning of a line of music that indicates where each letter name goes on the staff.
Treble Clef
G Clef. Curved line around line 2 indicates that that line is G.
Bass Clef
F clef. Two dots are on either side of line 4, indicating that that line is F.
Grand Staff
Ledger Lines
Extend the staff.
C Clef
The point in the center indicates the line that is middle C.
Alto clef (viola) is on the 3rd line.
Tenor is on the 4th line.
Octave Identification
Goes from lowest to highest note on the piano.
Accidentals
Sharp (#) - Raises the pitch a 1/2 step
Flat (♭) - Lowers the pitch a 1/2 step
Natural (♮) - Cancels any previous sharp or flat and returns to the natural, or unaltered, pitch
Double Sharp (x) - Raises the pitch 1 whole step
Double Flat (bb) - Lowers the pitch 1 whole step
Interval
The distance/relationship between two notes.
Half step is the smallest interval in Western music
Enharmonic Equialents
Tones that have the same pitch but different letter names.
Ex. G#, Ab
Half-Step Motion
A flatted note followed most often by a note with a different letter name a half step.
Duration
a
Breve and Rest
Worth two whole notes.
Whole Note and Rest
Worth two half notes.
Half Note and Rest
Two quarter notes.
Quarter Note and Rest
Equals two eighth notes.
Eighth Note and Rest
Equals two sixteenth notes.
Sixteenth Note and Rest
Equal to two thirty-second notes.
Tie
Curved line that connects two adjacent of the same pitch. Combines their note duration values.
Dot
Lengthens the value of the note by half its original value.
Ex. Dotted quarter note = 1 + 1/2 = quarter tied to an eighth note.
Second Dot
Lengthens the dotted note value by half the length of the first dot.
Irregular Divisions + Subdivisions
Note value may be divided or subdivided into any number of equal parts.
Divisions and subdivisions that require added numbers are irregular divisions and subdivisions.
Bracketed numbers are used if the notes aren’t already connected; for example, two quarter notes that are irregularly divided to equal a dotted half note would be bracketed, while a beamed eighth that is irregularly divided to equal a dotted quarter note would not have a bracketed number.
Rhythm
The motion of music in time.
Pulse or Beat
Fundamental unit of rhythm
Meter
Regular, recurring pattern of strong and weak beats
Meter Signatures (Time Signatures)
Identifies the song’s meter.
Top # = How many note values per measure (in this example, 4)
Bottom #= What note gets the beat (4 = quarter, 2 = half, 8 = eighth)
Simple Meter
Each beat is divided in two parts, so the basic pulse will be some note value that is NOT dotted.
Compound Meter
Each beat is divided into 3, so the basic pulse is a dotted note.
Duple Meter
Two basic pulses
Triple Meter
Three basic pulses
Quadruple Meter
Four basic pulses
Asymmetrical Meter
Pulse can’t be divided into equal groups of 2, 3, or 4 beats. Top number is usually 5 or 7.
Syncopation
When a part of the measure that is usually unstressed is accented, the rhythm is syncopated
Dynamic Markings
Indicate the general volume (amplitude) of sound.
Pianissimo (pp)
Piano (p)
Mezzo piano (mp)
Mezzo forte (mf)
Forte (f)
Fortissimo (ff)
Crescendo (<)
Decrescendo (>)
Sforzando (sfz); Sforzato (sf) - Sudden accent on a single note or chord
Sforzando piano (sfp) - Sudden accent followed immediately by soft
Fortepiano (fp) - Loud followed immediately by soft
To be filled out
On another day
