Music Symbols

Tuplet

A number of notes of irregular duration are performed within the duration of a given number of notes of regular time value; e.g. five notes played in the normal duration of four notes; seven notes played in the normal duration of two; three notes played in the normal duration of four. Tuplets are named according to the number of irregular notes; e.g., duplets, triplets, quadruplets, etc.

Dal Segno

(lit. "From the sign") Tells the performer to repeat playing of the music starting at the nearest segno. This is followed by al fine or al coda just as with da capo.

Da Capo

(lit. "From top") Tells the performer to repeat playing of the music from its beginning. This is usually followed by al fine (lit. "to the end"), which means to repeat to the word fine and stop, or al coda (lit. "to the coda (sign)"), which means repeat to the coda sign and then jump forward.

Stopped Note (Left-Hand Pizzicato)

A note on a stringed instrument where the string is plucked with the left hand (the hand that usually stops the strings) rather than bowed. On the horn, this accent indicates one of these (hand shoved further into the bell of the horn). In percussion, this notation denotes, among many other specific uses, to close the hi-hat by pressing the pedal, or that an instrument is to be "choked".

Ghost Note

A note with a rhythmic value, but no discernible pitch when played. It is represented by a cross for a note head instead of an oval. https://www.google.com/search?q=ghost+note&safe=strict&rlz=1CAPRBF_enUS809US809&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiSq6L91vrgAhVGPN8KHc5gAiUQ_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=609&dpr=1#imgrc=gNq65POKVRmdrM:

Fermata (Pause)

A note, chord, or rest sustained longer than its customary value. Usually appears over all parts at the same metrical location in a piece, to show a halt in tempo. It can be placed above or below the note. It is held as long as the performer or conductor desires, but is often set as twice the notes' original value.

Marcato

Play the note somewhat louder or more forcefully than a note with a regular accent mark. In organ notation, this means play a pedal note with the toe. Above the note, use the right foot; below the note, use the left foot.

Appoggiatura

The first half of the principal note's duration has the pitch of the grace note.

Ledger (or leger) Lines

These extended the staff to pitches that fall above or below it. Such of these are placed behind the note heads, and extend a small distance to each side. Multiples of these can be used when necessary to notate pitches even farther above or below the staff.

Bold Double Bar Line (barline)

These indicate the conclusion of a movement or an entire composition.

Bar Line

These separate measures also used for changes in time signature. These lines are extended to connect multiple staves in certain types of music, such as keyboard, harp, and conductor scores, but are omitted for other types of music, such as vocal scores.

Double Bar Line (barline)

These separate two sections of music or are placed before a change in key signature.

Neutral Clef

Used for pitchless instruments, such as those used for percussion, each line can represent a specific percussion instrument within a set, such as in a drum set. Two different styles of neutral clefs are pictured here. It may also be drawn with a separate single-line staff for each untuned percussion instrument.

Natural

Cancels a previous accidental, or modifies the pitch of a sharp or flat as defined by the prevailing key signature (such as F-sharp in the key of G major, for example).

Brace

Connects two or more lines of music that are played simultaneously in piano, keyboard, harp, or some pitched percussion music. Depending on the instruments playing, the brace varies in design and style.

Bracket

Connects two or more lines of music that sound simultaneously. In general contemporary usage the one of these usually connects the staves of separate instruments or multiple vocal parts in a choir or ensemble, whereas the brace connects multiple parts for a single instrument.

Slur

Indicates to play two or more notes in one physical stroke, one uninterrupted breath, or connected into a phrase as if played in a single breath. In certain contexts, a slur may only indicate to play the notes legato. In this case, rearticulation is permitted.

Chord

Several notes sounded simultaneously ("solid" or "block"), or in succession ("broken"). Two-note these are called dyad; three note these built from thirds are called triads. These may contain any number of notes. https://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&rlz=1CAPRBF_enUS809US809&biw=1366&bih=609&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=y6WHXPKkB4Gq_QaqpIroCw&q=chord+music&oq=chord+music&gs_l=img.3..0l5j0i5i30l5.1654244.1657723..1657887...1.0..0.261.1684.0j11j1....2..1....1..gws-wiz-img.......0i131.l1SST-JsslY

Arpeggiated Chord

A chord with notes played in rapid succession, usually ascending each note being sustained as the others are played. It is also called a "broken chord".

Glissando (Portamento)

A continuous, unbroken glide from one note to the next that includes the pitches between.

Decrescendo (Diminuendo)

A gradual decrease in volume. Can be extended in the same manner as crescendo.

Crescendo

A gradual increase in volume. Can be extended under many notes to indicate that the volume steadily increases during the passage.

Trill

A rapid alternation between the specified note and the next higher note within its duration, also called a "shake". When followed by a wavy, horizontal line, this symbol indicates an extended, or running, this. In modern music, this begins on the main note and ends with the lower auxiliary note then the main note, which requires a triplet immediately before the turn. In music up to the time of Haydn or Mozart this begins on the upper auxiliary note and there is no triplet. In percussion notation, a trill is sometimes used to indicate a tremolo (q.v.).

Tremolo

A rapidly repeated note. If this is between two notes, then they are played in rapid alternation. The number of slashes through the stem indicates the frequency to repeat (or alternate) the note.

Volta Brackets (1st and 2nd endings, or 1st- and 2nd-time bars)

A repeated passage is to be played with different endings on different playings; it is possible to have more than two endings (1st, 2nd, 3rd...).

Forte-Piano

A section of music in which the music should initially be played loudly, then immediately softly.

Simile Marks

Denote that preceding groups of beats or measures are to be repeated. In the examples here, the first usually means to repeat the previous measure, and the second usually means to repeat the previous two measures.

Repeat Signs

Enclose a passage that is to be played more than once. If there is no left repeat sign, the right repeat sign sends the performer back to the start of the piece or the nearest double bar.

Fortississimo

Extremely loud. Very infrequently does one see louder dynamics than this.

Pianississimo

Extremely soft. Very infrequently does one see softer dynamics than this, which are specified with an additional ps.

Tablature

For stringed instruments it is possible to notate this in place of ordinary notes. In this case, a TAB sign is often written instead of a clef. The number of lines of the staff is not necessarily five: one line is used for each string instrument. Numbers on the lines show which fret to play the string on, This TAB sign, like the percussion clef, is not a clef in the true sense, but rather a symbol employed instead of a clef. Similarly, the horizontal lines do not constitute a staff in the usual sense, because the spaces between the lines in this are never used.

Multi-Measure Rest

Indicates the number of measure in a resting part without a change in meter to conserve space and to simplify notation. Also called gathered rest or multi-bar rest.

Breath Mark

In a score, this symbol tells the performer to take a breath. This pause usually does not affect the overall tempo. For bowed instruments, it indicates to lift the bow and play the next note with a downward bow.

Tie

Indicates that two or more notes joined together are to be played as one note with the time values added together. To be a tie, the notes must be identical - that is, they must be on the same line or the same space. Otherwise, it is a slur.

Caesura

Indicates a brief, silent pause, during which time is not countered. In ensemble playing, time resumes when the conductor or leader indicates. For piano this usually means that the player should release all keys and pedals.

Coda

Indicates a forward jump in the music to its ending passage, marked with the same sign.

Staccatissimo (Spiccato)

Indicates a longer silence after the note, making the note very short. Usually applied to quarter notes or shorter. In string instruments this indicates a bowing technique in which the bow bounces lightly upon the string.

Sforzando.

Literally "forced", denotes an abrupt, fierce accent on a single sound or chord. When written out in full, it applies to the sequence of sounds or chords under or over which it is played.

Forte

Loud, used as often as piano to indicate contrast.

Flat Key Signature

Lowers by a semitone the pitch of notes on the corresponding line or space, and all octaves thereof, thus defining the prevailing major or minor key. Different keys are defined by the number of flats in the key signature, starting with the leftmost, and proceeding to the right; for example, if only the first two flats are used, the key is b flat minor/g minor, and all B's and E's are "flatted".

Demiflat

Lowers the pitch of a note by one quarter tone. Another notation is a flat with a slash through the stem. https://www.google.com/search?q=demiflat&safe=strict&rlz=1CAPRBF_enUS809US809&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi836Wmy_zgAhUlhuAKHQq3B84Q_AUIDigB&biw=1366&bih=609#imgrc=39OBupGPAhPM9M:

Flat

Lowers the pitch of a note by one semitone.

Flat-and-a-Half (sesquiflat)

Lowers the pitch of a note by three quarter tones. As with a demiflat, a slashed double-flat symbol is also used. https://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&rlz=1CAPRBF_enUS809US809&biw=1366&bih=609&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=6qOHXNq7H8mc_Qben5_oCA&q=sesquiflat&oq=sesquiflat&gs_l=img.3..0i24.174143.177724..178887...0.0..0.105.495.3j2......1....1..gws-wiz-img.......0i8i7i30j0i10i24.XG9pXnjI8eY#imgrc=rSfVYKgjCwzaaM:

Double Flat

Lowers the pitch of a note by two chromatic semitones. Usually used when the note to modify is already flattened by the key signature.

Segno

Mark used with dal this.

Mezzo Forte

Moderately loud; softer than forte. If no dynamic appears, this is assumed to be the prevailing dynamic level.

Mezzo Piano

Moderately soft; louder than piano.

Snap Pizzicato (Bartok pizzicato)

On a stringed instrument, a note played by stretching a string away from the frame of the instrument and letting go, making it do this against the frame.

Accent

Play the note louder, or with a harder attack than surrounding unaccented notes. May appear on notes of any duration.

Dotted Note

Placing a dot to the right of a notehead lengthens the note's duration by one-half. Additional dots the previous dot instead of the original note, thus a note with one dot is one and one half its original value, a note with two dots is one and three quarters, a note with three dots is one and seven eighths, and so on. Rests can be dotted in the same manner as notes. In other words, n dots lengthen the note's or rest's original duration d to d x (2-2^-n).

Sharp Key Signature

Raises by a semitone the pitch of notes on the corresponding line or space, and all octaves thereof, thus defining the prevailing major or minor key. Different keys are defined by the number of sharps in the key signature, also proceeding from left to right; for example, if only the first four sharps are used, the key is E major/C sharp minor, and the corresponding pitches are raised.

Demisharp

Raises the pitch of a note by one quarter tone. https://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&rlz=1CAPRBF_enUS809US809&biw=1366&bih=609&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=nqSHXM6XLK2l_QbPvJXQCA&q=demisharp&oq=demisharp&gs_l=img.3..0i24.103750.105299..105636...0.0..0.110.898.6j3....2..1....1..gws-wiz-img.......0j0i131j0i5i30j0i5i10i30j0i10i24.LboWiuVnxUI

Sharp

Raises the pitch of a note by one semitone.

Sharp-and-a-Half (sesquisharp)

Raises the pitch of a note by three quarter tones. Occasionally represented with two vertical and three diagonal bars instead. https://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&rlz=1CAPRBF_enUS809US809&biw=1366&bih=609&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=CaWHXMu7LIGc_Qbm2IDIBg&q=sesquisharp&oq=sesquisharp&gs_l=img.3..0i24.189558.191901..192079...0.0..0.124.1137.6j5....2..1....1..gws-wiz-img.......0j0i131j0i10j0i5i30j0i10i24.qrqvRZvX-0k

Double Sharp

Raises the pitch of a note by two chromatic semitones. Usually used when the note to modify is already sharpened by the key signature.

Upper Mordent

Rapidly play the principal note, the next higher note, then return to the principal note for the remaining duration. In most music, the mordent begins on the auxiliary note, and the alternation between the two notes may be extended. In handbells, this symbol is a "shake" and indicates the rapid shaking of the bells for the duration of the note.

Lower Mordent (Inverted)

Rapidly play the principal note, the note below it, then return to the principal note for the remaining duration. In much music, the mordent begins on the auxiliary note, and then alternation between the two notes may be extended.

Piano

Soft; louder than pianissimo.

Dotted Bar Line (barline)

Subdivides long measures of complex meter into shorter segments for ease of reading, usually according to natural rhythmic subdivisions.

Quindicesima

The 15^ma sign is placed above the staff to mean play the passage two octaves higher. This below the staff means to play the passage two octaves lower.

Ottava

The 8^va (pronounced this alta) sign is placed above the staff to tell the musician to play the passage one octave higher.

Simple Time Signatures (specific time)

The bottom number represents the note value of the basic pulse of the music. The top number indicates how many of these note values appear in each measure. This example announces that each measure is the equivalent length of three crotchets. For example, 3 4 is pronounced as "three-four time" or "three-quarter time".

Compound Time Signatures (specific time)

The bottom number represents the note value of the subdivisions of the basic pulse of the music. The top number indicates how many of these subdivisions appear in each measure. Usually each beat is composed of three subdivisions. To derive the unit of the basic pulse in compound meters, double this value and add a dot, and divide the top number by 3 to determine how many of these pulses there are each measure. This example announces that each measure is the equivalent length of two dotted crotchets. This is pronounced "six-eight time".

Treble Clef (G clef)

The centre of the spiral assigns the second line from the bottom to the pitch G above middle C. The treble clef is the most commonly encountered clef in modern notation, and is used for most modern vocal music. Middle C is the first ledger line below the staff here.

Bass Clef (F clef)

The line between the dots in this clef denotes F below middle C. Positioned here, it makes the second line from the top of the staff F below middle C, and is called the this clef This clef appears nearly as often as the treble clef, especially in choral music, where it represents the bass and baritone voices. Middle C is the first ledger line above the staff here. In old music, particularly vocal scores, this clef is sometimes encountered centered on the third staff line, in which position it is referred to as a baritone clef; this usage has essentially become obsolete.

Staff

The staff is the fundamental latticework of music notations, on which symbols are placed. The five staff these and four intervening spaces correspond to pitches of the diatonic scale; which pitch is meant by a given one of these or space is defined by the clef. In British usage, the word "stave" is often used.

Beamed Notes

These connect eighth notes and notes of dhorter value and are equivalent in value to flags. In metered music, beams reflect the rhythmic grouping of notes. They may also group short phrases of notes of the same value, regardless of the meter; this is more common in ametrical passages. In older printings of vocal music, these are often only used when several notes are to be dungeon one syllable texts - melismatic singing; modern notation encourages the use of beaming in a consistent manner with instrumental engraving, and the presence of beams or flags no longer informs the singer about the lyrics. Today, due to the body of music in which traditional metric states are not always assumed, beaming is at the discretion of composers and arrangers, who often use irregular beams to emphasize a particular rhythmic pattern.

Tenor Clef (Alto clef, C clef)

These clefs point to the line representing middle C. As illustrated here, it makes the center line on the staff middle C, and is referred to as the "alto clef". This clef is used in modern notation for the viola. While all clefs can be placed anywhere on the staff to indicate various tessitura, the C clef is most often considered a "moveable" celf; it is frequently seen pointing instead to the fourth line and called this. This clef is used very often in music written for bassoon, cello, trombone, and double bass; it replaces the bass clef when the number of ledger lines above above the bass staff hinders easy reading.

Staccato

This indicates the musician should play the note shorter than notated, usually half the value; the rest of the metric value is then silent. Staccato marks may appear on notes of any value, shortening their performed duration without speeding the music itself.

Acciaccatura

This is of very brief duration, as though brushed on the way to the principal note, which receives virtually all of its notated duration. In percussion notation, this symbol denotes the flam rudiment, the miniature note still positioned behind the main note but on the same line or space above the staff.

Tenuto (portato, mezzo staccato)

This symbol indicates play the note at its full value, or slightly longer. It can also indicate a slight dynamic emphasis or be combined with a staccato dot to indicate a slight detachment.

Cut Time (Alla Breve)

This symbol represents 2 2 time, indicating two minim beats per measure. Here, a crotchet would get half a beat.

Common Time

This symbol represents 4 4 time. It derives from the broken circle that represented "imperfect" duple meter in fourteenth-century mensural time signatures.

Octave Clef

Treble and bass clefs can also be modified by octave numbers. An eight or fifteen above a clef raises the intended pitch range by one or two octaves respectively. Similarly, an eight or fifteen below a clef lowers the pitch range by one or two octaves respectively. A treble clef with an eight below is the most commonly used, typically used for guitar and similar instruments, as well as for tenor parts in choral music.

Fortissimo

Very loud. Usually the loudest indication in a piece, though louder dynamics are often specified with additional fs.

Pianissimo

Very soft, usually the softest indication in a piece of music.

Turn (gruppetto)

When placed directly above the note, this indicates a sequence of upper auxiliary note, principal note, and a return to the principal note. When placed to the right of the note, the principal note is placed first, followed by the pattern above. Placing a vertical line through the turn symbol or inverting it indicates an inverted one of these, in which the order of the auxiliary notes is reversed.

Metronome Mark

Written at the start of a score, and at any significant change of tempo, this symbol precisely defines the tempo of the music by assigning absolute durations to all note values within the score. In this particular example, the performer is told that 120 crotchets, or quarter notes, fit into one minute of "M.M.", referring to Maelzel's Metronome.