Vocabulary - Grade 1

Question 1

Answer 1

treble clef

Question 2

Answer 2

bass clef

Question 3

Answer 3

semibreve

same length as 4 crotchets

Question 4

Answer 4

semibreve rest

Question 5

Answer 5

minim

same length as 2 crotchets

Question 6

Answer 6

minim rest

sits on the middle line

Question 7

Answer 7

crotchet

one beat in 4/4 time

Question 8

Answer 8

crotchet rest

Question 9

Answer 9

quavers

same length as half a crotchet

Question 10

semitone

Answer 10

smallest interval; gap between a white key and

the next black key on a piano

white key semitones: B-C and E-F

Question 11

tone

Answer 11

same as 2 semitones

Question 12

Answer 12

sharp

Question 13

Answer 13

flat

Question 14

Answer 14

natural

Question 15

What does the sharp sign do?

Answer 15

raises the pitch of the note by a semitone

Question 16

What does the flat sign do?

Answer 16

lowers the pitch of the note by a semitone

Question 17

What does the natural sign do?

Answer 17

cancels out a previous sharp or flat

Question 18

name of the first step of the scale

e.g. C in C major

Answer 18

tonic

Question 19

steps of the major scale which are a semitone apart

Answer 19

3rd-4th and 7th-8th

Question 20

What does a key signature show?

Answer 20

the notes in the piece which are sharp or flat by default

Question 21

tonic triad

Answer 21

a 3 note chord built on the first step on the scale

Question 22

Which steps of the scale are found in the tonic triad?

Answer 22

1st, 3rd, 5th

Question 23

interval

Answer 23

gap between two notes

the lowest note is always counted as 1, e.g. C-D is a 2nd

Question 24

interval where both notes sound the same

Answer 24

unison

Question 25

the gap between one note and the next note with the same letter above or below it

Answer 25

octave

Question 26

one letter name above or below the previous note

Answer 26

2nd

Question 27

two letter names above or below the previous note

Answer 27

3rd

Question 28

three letter names above or below the previous note

Answer 28

4th

Question 29

four letter names above or below the previous note

Answer 29

5th

Question 30

arpeggio

Answer 30

the notes of the tonic triad played in sequence one after another

Example: G major tonic triad and arpeggio

Question 31

ostinato

Answer 31

a pattern of notes and rhythms which repeats multiple times

Question 32

pianissimo

pp

Answer 32

very soft

Question 33

piano

p

Answer 33

soft

Question 34

mezzo piano

mp

Answer 34

medium soft

Question 35

mezzo forte

mf

Answer 35

medium loud

Question 36

forte

f

Answer 36

loud

Question 37

fortissimo

ff

Answer 37

very loud

Question 38

crescendo

cresc.

Answer 38

gradually getting louder

Question 39

diminuendo

dim.

Answer 39

gradually getting softer

Question 40

Answer 40

accent

Question 41

Answer 41

slur

Question 42

Answer 42

staccato

Question 43

accent

Answer 43

play the note more strongly

Question 44

legato

Answer 44

play smoothly

Question 45

slur

Answer 45

play the notes under the slur line legato

Question 46

andante

Answer 46

at a walking pace

Question 47

allegro

Answer 47

fast

Question 48

moderato

Answer 48

at a moderate speed

Question 49

ritenuto

rit.

Answer 49

gradually getting slower

Question 50

Answer 50

repeat signs