Dotted notes Whatever the time signature may be, a dot after any note always makes it half as long again.
Relative major and minor the major and minor keys that share the same notes in that key.
Octave Sign An octave sign (8ve__________|) shown over notes means to play or sing these notes an octave higher. When it is under notes, then play or sing the notes an octave lower.
Rest / Rests Rests last for the same number of beats as the notes which they replace. A rest in a bar or measure is a period of time where no note is played.
rf, sf, sfz When any of these markings indicate that notes recieve special emphasis.
Rhythm all tunes have rhythm. Sometimes the rhythm is free flowing, but more often it is measured with a regularly occuring Pulse. The pulse is not like the ticking of a clock: there is a physical tension and relaxation in it. Unfortunately, we often lose this effortless continuity when learning to 'keep time' in music. In the early stages of keeping time, a measured rhythm can be Counted where each syllable is given a rhythmical pattern of long notes and short notes.
Sharp Sign A sharp sign (#) raises or 'sharpens' a note. It affects all notes in the same position which follow in the bar. Written immediately after the clef , it is a part of the key signature .
Slur The curved line linking two notes. Notes that are slurred are always sung or played very smoothly and expressively, with a gentle stress at the beginning of the slur, and a gentle relaxation at the end of it. Slurs also indicate 'bowing' for stringed instruments, and can indicate proper 'phrasing' for a sequence of notes.
Staccato A note marked with a dot above or below it is meant to be played in a short manner, like the way you would touch a hot iron. If the staccato notes are slurred, they are to be played less shortly, but still separated by silent spaces.
Strain In music, a strain is a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence.
Tie or Bind A tie or bind is a curved line above or below two notes which serves to add the value of these two notes together. Note that both notes must be in the same position on the staff.
A tie joins two notes of the same pitch: it can be confused with a slur, which links together notes of a different pitch. Tied notes always sound like one continuous note.
Time Pattern a rhythmical pattern in long notes and short notes. The time pattern of any song can be written above it's words in the musical notation for long notes and short notes.
Time Signature A time signature is a device which shows how to count the time patterns in any bar. It is represented by either two numbers, a 'c', or 'c' with a vertical line through it. This is usually shown at the beginning of staves. These symbols give the number of beats to a bar.
Concerning the two numbers, the lower number represents the unit of time: it is written according to its value in terms of a semibreve. The number of top of a time-signature shows how many units there are to the bar.
The time signature is written on the stave just before the first note of the tune. A time signature with four quarter notes to the bar is written 4/4 (common time, also represented by a 'C'). The time signature for songs with two quarter notes to the bar is written 2/4, etc.
Time Values Crotchet : Americans use 'quarter note '. Minum : Americans use 'half note '.
Crotchets and minums have their stems going upwards on the right of the note when the pitch is below the middle line of the stave, and downwards on the left for notes that are above the middle line. Semibreve : Americans use 'whole note'.
The semibreve lasts as long as two minums or four crotchets. Quaver : Americans use eighth note
a note that is half as long as a quarter note. There are eight eighth notes to a whole note. A single eighth note is written with the tail to the right of the stem, whether the stem goes up or down. Two eighth notes together have their tails joined.
Toccata An important type of early keyboard music characterized by rapid, repeated notes, designed to 'show off' the instrument, composer, and the performer.
Triplet Three notes to be fitted into the time of two. Other numbers of notes may be grouped in the same way, but of course would then not be named a 'triplet'. For example, two notes played over three beats is called a couplet or duplet.
Unison This word is written above music in which more than one section play or sing the same notes together, usually on a melody.
Pentatonic can apply to a tune founded on any five notes
Abbreviations 'Musical Shorthand' used when part or all of a piece of music is to be played or sung more than once. Other abbreviations are used for notes or groups of notes which are to be played or sung more than once.
Natural Sign This contradicts (naturalizes) a sharp (#) or flat (b) -- the note marked becomes a 'natural' note. If affects all notes in the same position which follow in the bar .
Melody a sequence notes of different pitches that form a musical piece
Melodic Interval the distance in pitch between two notes. A stepwise movement up or down is the melodic interval of a second.
Leap the gap between the two last notes
Interval The space between two notes.
Flat Sign A flat sign (b) lowers or 'flattens' a note. It affects all notes in the same position which follow in the bar. Written immediately after the clef, it is part of the key signature.
Eco (Italian 'echo') when a group of notes is played again, usually at a lower volume, to create an echo effect
Clef Literally means 'key', it's a symbol at the beginning of a staff that denotes the pitch of the notes.
Chord / Chords The sound of three or more notes being played together. There is some debate over whether two notes played together could be a chord. Some dictionaries will say it is, others that only three notes together is a chord.
Broken Chord A chord where the notes are not played all at once but rather separated.
Bass The lower voices of men. Also instruments which play the notes of these voices.
Basso continuo (Italian) Also called 'continuo' or 'figured bass'. Basso continuo is a system for notating chords developed thorugh the 16th century and popular through the 17th century. Basso continuo is in many ways similar to modern chord notation, but there are also important differences. In basso continuo the bass line is notated in standard notation, while other chord notes might be indicated with numbers and other symbols below the bass note.
Arpeggio The notes of the chord are sounded quickly on after the other starting with the lowest note, and going up.
Alto The lowest voices of women and boys. Also instruments which play the notes of these voices.
A vocal line in choir music that is usually for mezzo-sopranos
