Rudiments of Music

Rudiments of Music

Staff

Music is written on a staff that has five lines and four spaces.

Each line and space indicatesa tone.

Ledger Line

Ledger Line is used to extend the staff to pitches that fall above or below it.

The Staff is divided into measures by bar lines.

Clef               Bar Line     Bar Line    Bar Line 

Bar Line

Double bar line:Used to separate two sections of music.

Bold double bar line:Used to indicate the conclusion of a movement or an entire composition.Dotted bar line:Subdivides long measures of complex meter into shorter segments for ease of reading, usually according to natural rhythmic subdivisions.

The letter names of the lines are

E, G, B, D, F. It's easily remembered by the

sentence:Every  Good Boy Does Fine

E            G              B            D              F

The letter names of the spaces from the bottom up

spell FACE.

F              A              C             E

ClefsClefs are written at the beginning of the staff.

Two Kinds of Clefs:

G Clef F Clef

When these two clefs combined together these

make a GRAND STAFF.

Note

Parts of a NOTE:

WholeNote-Rest

4 Beats

HalfNote-Rest

2 Beats

QuarterNote-Rest

1 Beat

EighthNote-Rest

½ Beat

SixteenthNote-Rest

¼ Beat

Sixty-FourthNote-Rest1/32 Beat

Thirty-SecondNote-Rest1/8 Beat

Accidentals

Flat-Lowers the pitch of a note by one semitone.

Double Flat-Lowers the pitch of a note bytwo chromatic semitones.

Accidentals modify the pitch of the notes that follow them on the same staff position within a measure, unless cancelled by an additional accidental.

Sharp-Raises the pitch of a note by one semitone.

Double Sharp- Raises the pitch of a note by two chromatic semitones.

Natural-Cancels a previous accidental, or modifies the pitch of a sharp or flat as defined by the prevailing key signature.

Key signatures define the prevailing key of the music that follows, thus avoiding the use of accidentals for many notes.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.

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.

Key Signature

Time Signature Indicate how the measure will be divided into beats, the top number is how many beats are in the measure and the bottom number is what kind of note gets a beat.

4/4 time - divides measure into 4 beats.3/4 time - divides measure into 3 beats.2/4 time - divides measure into 2 beats.

Dynamics are indicators of the relative intensity or volume of a musical line.

Dynamics

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

PianissimoVery soft. Usually the softest indication ina piece of music, though softer dynamicsare often specified with additional ps.

PianoSoft. Usually the most often used indication

Mezzo pianoLiterally, half as soft as piano.

Mezzo forteSimilarly, half as loud as forte. If no dynamic appears, mezzo-forte is assumed to be the prevailing dynamic level.

ForteLoud. Used as often aspiano to indicate contrast.

FortississimoExtremely loud. Very infrequently does one see louder dynamics than this, which are specified with additional fs.

SforzandoLiterally "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 placed

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

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

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

Forte-pianoA section of music in which the music should initially be played loudly (forte), then immediately softly (piano).

The End !!