Chapter 0 ~ Notation of Pitch & Rhythm
Beat
A steady, regular pulse station at a moderate speed.
Anacrusis
Also known as a pick up note or an upbeat.
Treble Clef (G Clef)
Assigns the G above middle C to the second line of the staff.
Clef
Associates lines and spaces on the staff with specific pitches.
Ties
Connects two notes combining their durations into a single note.
Triplets
Divides a rhythmic unit — usually a half or a quarter note — into three parts instead of two.
Duple
Have two beats per measure and is often written with the symbol C with a slash through it, called "alla breve" the half note is the beat. Has a pattern of strong-weak
Triple
If there are three beats per measure, a 3 appears at the top of the time signature and the meter is triple. Has a strong-weak-weak pattern of beats or a waltz
Review 7
In simple meters, the beat unit is not dotted and divides into two parts. The top number of a simple time signature is two, three or four and indicates the number of beats per measure. The bottom number shows the beach unit (eight = eighth note; four = quarter note; two = half note).
Rest
Indicates a duration of silence and can correspond to any rhythmic value.
Flat
Lowers a pitch by one semi tone.
Quadruple
Quadruple simple meters, the most common time signature is 4/4, which indicates for quarter notes per measure. 4/4 is sometimes called "common time" and labeled c.
Sharp #
Raises a pitch by one semitone
C Clefs
Show the placement of middle C on the staff. Of these, the most important are the alto clef, with middle C on the third line of the staff, and the tenor clef, with the middle C on the fourth line. Violinists usually play an alto clef, well cellists, bassoonists, and trombonists play in the tenor clef when the music is too high to be comfortably notated in bass clef.
Semitones (half step)
Smallest possible space between two notes. Any two adjacent keys on the piano keyboard comprise a semitone, and there are 12 semitones in the octave. Two semitones make up a whole tone. Among the white keys, E-F & B-C are separated by a semi tone. All other pairs of white keys are a whole tone apart.
Pitches
Specific points on the continuum of audible sound. They are represented by notes written on the lines and spaces of the staff. As notes go higher on the staff the pitches ascend, as the notes go lower the pitches descend.
Review 3
The C clefs locate middle C on the staff: the alto clef assigns it to the third line; the tenor clef assigns it to the fourth line.
Meter
The arrangement of rhythm into a pattern of strong and weak beats.
Compound meters
The beat is divided into three parts, and the beat itself is a dotted note. Because the bottom number of a time signature cannot show a dotted beat unit, compound time signatures show instead of the divisions of the beat. If the bottom number of a compound time signature is eight, the beach will be a dotted quarter note, which is 3/8 notes grouped together. Other beat units are also possible: a dotted half note can be divided into 3/4 notes, or a dotted eighth note into 3/16. The top number of a compound meter signature is six, nine, or 12 and shows the number of beat divisions in each measure. Divide by three to find the number of beats in each measure. Like simple meters compound meters may be duple (six in the time signature), triple (9), or quadruple (12).
Accidentals
are used to raise or lower pitches by a semitone.
Ledger Lines
lines written above or below the staff representing a continuation of the staff, used to indicate pitches above or below the staff.
Review 9
An anacrusis is an incomplete initial measure
Review 2
Clefs determine the location of pitches on the staff. The most commonly used clefs are the treble clef (2nd line = G above middle C) and the bass clef (fourth line = F below middle C).
Review 8
Compounds meters have a dotted note as the beat, which divides into three parts. The top number of a compound time signature is 6, 9, or 12 and indicates the number of beat divisions; divide by three to find the number of beats. The bottom number indicates the unit of a beat division (16 = 16th note; 8 = eighth note; four = quarter note) group 3 of them together to find a beat unit.
Grand Staff
Consists of trouble and bass staves joined by a vertical line and a brace. Notes around middle C can be written in treble or bass clef. Ledger lines appear above the treble clef notes and below the bass clef notes.
Time Signature
Consists of two stacked numbers, defines the meter. The bottom number determines the note value of each beat. If the beat is unit is not dotted, the meter is simple. In simple meters the quarter note — indicated by a four at the bottom of the time signature is the most common beat, eighth notes and half notes can also function as the beat. The top number of the time signature determines the number of beats in a measure. In simple meters, this number is two, three, or four. If there are four beats per measure, a four appears at the top of the time signature, and the meter is a quadruple.
Natural
A used on a note that is neither sharp nor flat and used to cancel a previous sharp or flat to be restored to its usual unmodified state.
Review 4
Accidentals (sharps and flats) raise or lower pitches by a semitone. Less commonly, double sharps and double flats raise or lower pictures by two semitones. Naturals are neither Sharp nor flat.
Augmentation Dot
Add additional rhythmic value by placing a dot directly after a note to increase the duration of that note by 1/2.
Review 6
Argumentation dots, ties, and triplets create additional durations
Bass Clef (F Clef)
Assigns the F below middle C to the fourth line of the staff. Notes written in the bass clef are usually lower than those in the treble clef.
Review 1
Pitches are written on the lines and spaces of the five line staff.
Enharmonic Equivalents
Pitches that have more than one name.
Review 5
The most common durational value is the quarter note. Other common values include whole notes, half notes, eighth notes, and 16th notes — all of which are made by doubling or halving quarter notes.