Music Theory Chapter 1
Tenor Clef
A C-clef positioned on a staff so that the fourth line from the bottom indicates middle C(4). Typically read by bassons, cellos, and tenor trombones in their higher registers
Alto Clef
A C-clef positioned on a staff so that the middle line indicates middle C(4)
How do the piano's white and black keys help you determine whole and half steps?
A key directly next to a key, white or black, is a half step. Two keys away is a whole step.
C-clef
A movable clef that mau be placed on a staff to indentify any one of the five lines as middle C(4)
Accidental
A musical symbol that appears before a note to raise or lower its pitch
What's the difference between a pitch and a pitch class?
A pitch is a tone, and a pitch class refers to all of the octaves of that tone, including enharmonic equivalences
Clef
A symbol that appears on the far left of every staff to designate which line or space represents which pitch and the octaves
Pitch
A tone sounding in a particular octave
Musical Alphabet
ABCDEFG
Natural
An accidental that cancels a sharp or a flat
Flat
An accidental that lowers a pitch a half step
Double Flat
An accidental that lowers a pitch one whole step below its letter name
Sharp
An accidental that raise a pitch a half step
Double Sharp
An accidental that raises a pitch one whole step above its letter name
Bass Clef
Clef positioned on a staff to indicate F; its twp dpts surround the F3 line
Pick a melody from music in your repertoire. Identify all its pitches by octave number, and locate at least two pitches notated on ledger lines.
Do the thing
Starting on D, count backward for two octaves in the musical alphabet. Count forward in thirds for two octaves, starting on G.
Do the thing
Give two guidelines for notating ledger lines.
Draw them the same space apart as lines on the staff; don't place lines above above a note if it's high, and don't place lines below a note if it's low
Ledger Line
Extra lines drawn through stems and/or note heads to designate a pitch above or below a staff
Counting in Thirds
Go up or down three notes, including the starting one (A-C-E-G-B-D-F-A)
Dynamic Markings
Indicate the loudness or softness of a piece
Pitch Class
Notes an octave (or several octaves) apart that share the same name. Pitch-class names assume octave and enharmonic equivalence
Treble Clef
On a staff, the treble clef (G-clef) denotes the line for G4, by means of the end of its curving line; typically read by flutes, clarinets, oboes, horns, sopranos, altos, violin, and piano right hand.
Enharmonic Pitch
Pitches with the same sound but different letter names (Bflat and Asharp)
How do the staff and clefs work together to identify pitches?
The clefs denote where the notes land on the staff
Whole Step
The combination of two adjacent half steps
Octave Equivalence
The concept that two pitches an octave apart are functionally equivalent
Octave
The distance of 8 musical steps
How are octave numbers assigned? What is the octave number for middle C?
The first C is C1, and the rest of that octave is 1, until the next C, which is C2, and so on. Middle C is C4
Staff
The five parallel lines on which music is written
Half Step
The musical space between a pitch and the next-closest pitch on the keyboard
Interval
The musical space between two pitches or pitch class
On a keyboard, what special relationship do B and C have? E and F?
These notes are only a half step apart
What's the function of C-clefs, accidentals, and ledger lines?
They help to denote which pitch exactly is being played
Grand Staff
Two staves, one in the treble clef and one in the bass clef, connected by a curly brace; typically found in piano music.