Terms to know
Music Staff: 5 parallel line
Measure(s): Vertical line placed on the musical staff to separate beats, based on the time signature.
Beat: A steady pulse that represents the tempo of the music and how rhythms are interpreted.
Rhythm: How the beat is combined or split up to create various patterns.
Pitch: Named A, B, C, D, E, F, or G and determines how high or low the frequency of sound is.
Measure(s): Vertical line placed on the musical staff to separate beats, based on the time signature.
Beat: A steady pulse that represents the tempo of the music and how rhythms are interpreted.
Rhythm: How the beat is combined or split up to create various patterns.
Pitch: Named A, B, C, D, E, F, or G and determines how high or low the frequency of sound is.
Music Staff
|
Music is written on a music staff which consists of 5 lines (and 4 spaces). As we learn new pitches and add them to the staff, we will use the number system to the right.
|
Music Staff
|
Pitches
Pitch names consist of the first 7 letters of the American alphabet: ABCDEFG (the musical alphabet). After G is said, repeat those letter.
As you ASCEND, progress FORWARDS through the musical alphabet. ABCDEFG ABCDEFG ABCD, etc.
As you DESCEND, progress BACKWARDS through the musical alphabet. GFEDCBA GFEDCBA GFED, ect.
As you ASCEND, progress FORWARDS through the musical alphabet. ABCDEFG ABCDEFG ABCD, etc.
As you DESCEND, progress BACKWARDS through the musical alphabet. GFEDCBA GFEDCBA GFED, ect.
Clefs: Treble, Bass, and Tenor
The Clef is what determines the name of the pitches on the lines and spaces.
|
Treble Clef (G clef)
When this clef is present, the 2nd line becomes G. Notice as you go from Line 1 -> Space 1 -> Line 2 -> Space 2, etc the pitches are in alphabetical order. |
Treble Clef Space & Lines
|
|
Bass Clef (F clef)
When this clef is present, the 4th line becomes F. Notice as you go from Line 1 -> Space 1 -> Line 2 -> Space 2, etc the pitches are in alphabetical order. |
Bass Clef Space & Lines
|
|
Tenor Clef
When this clef is present, the 4th line becomes middle C. Notice as you go from Line 1 -> Space 1 -> Line 2 -> Space 2, etc the pitches are in alphabetical order. |
|
Use this site as a resource to better your pitch reading ability: https://www.musictheory.net/exercises/note
Click the Gear in the top right hand corner to make adjustment and yourself over the desired material.
Click the Gear in the top right hand corner to make adjustment and yourself over the desired material.
Rhythms
|
To the right is a list of the most common notes and rest you will see in music.
Notes = Counts of Sound; Rest = Counts of Silence. |
Rhythm Chart
|
On the music staff, you will find two numbers stacked on top of eachother. This is called the Time Signature. Below are common time signatures you will find.
- The bottom number determines what rhythm is the beat. 4 = Quarter Note; 8 = Eighth Note.
- The top number determines how many of the bottom number rhythm are in each rhythm.
Time Signatures
Below is an answer key for the picture above.
|
|
4/4 = 4 quarter notes per measure
3/4 = 3 quarter notes per measure 2/4 = 2 quarter notes per measure 6/8 = 6 eighth notes per measure 9/8= 9 eighth notes per measure 12/8 = 12 eighth notes per measure |