Music Symbols

Key signature

It occurs at the beginning of a piece and indicates which notes are flat and sharp.

Forte

Loud volume

Flat

Lowers the pitch of a note by one-half step

Mezzo forte

Medium loud volume

Mezzo piano

Medium soft

Accent

Perform or sound the note with more emphasis

Staccato

Perform the notes short and detached

Sharp

Raises the pitch of a note by one-half step

Double bar

Represents the end of a piece of music

Piano

Soft volume

Bass clef line names

The spaces are All Cows Eat Grass and the lines are Good Boys Do Fine Always

Treble clef line names

The spaces are FACE and the lines are Every Good Boy Does Fine

How many beats are in 4 4? Which note receives the beat? REMEMBER: The top four represents the number of beats per measure. The bottom number represents the note that receives the beat.

There are four beats in a measure. The quarter note receives the beat.

Tie

Two (2) or more notes of the same pitch, connected with a curved line, adds the time values together and play as one note

Treble clef

Used for the higher sounding voices (altos and sopranos). It's also known as the G clef.

Bass clef

Used for the lower voices (baritones, basses and sometimes the tenor). It's also known as the F clef.

Fortissimo

Very loud

Pianissimo

Very soft

Repeat signs

What type of sign means: perform the selected section again?

Grand staff

When music on two staves is joined by a brace, or is intended to be played at once by a single performer (usually a keyboard instrument), a great stave or _______ staff is created.

Measure

A _______is the space (distance) between two bar lines

Bar line

A ______divides the staff into measures

Diminuendo

Gradually decreasing in volume

Ritardando or rit.

Gradually slowing down

Fermata

Hold the note or rest longer than its time value

Andante

A moderate walking tempo

Adagio

A slow and graceful tempo

Time signatures

A time signature reveals how the music is to be counted. The time signature is written at the beginning of the staff after the clef and key signature. Time signatures consist of two numbers written like a fraction. The top number represents how many beats are in each measure and the bottom number represents what kind of note gets the beat.

Natural

Cancels the effect of a flat or sharp

Allegro

Fast tempo

Staff

Five lines and four spaces

Decrescendo

Gradually decreasing in volume