Rudiments of
Music
Staff
Music is written on a staff that has
five lines and four spaces.
Each line and space indicates
a tone.
Ledger Line
Ledger Line is used to extend the staff
to pitches that fall above or below it.
Bar Line
The Staff is divided into measures
by bar lines.
Clef 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
Clefs
Clefs 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:
Whole
Note-Rest
4 Beats
Half
Note-Rest
2 Beats
Quarter
Note-Rest
1 Beat
Eighth
Note-Rest
½ Beat
Sixteenth
Note-Rest
¼ Beat
Thirty-Second
Note-Rest
1/8 Beat
Sixty-Fourth
Note-Rest
1/32 Beat
Accidentals
Accidentals modify the pitch of the notes that follow
them on the same staff position within a measure, unless
cancelled by an additional accidental.
Flat-Lowers the pitch of a note by one
semitone.
Double Flat-Lowers 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.
Sharp-Raises the pitch of a note by one
semitone.
Double Sharp- Raises the pitch of a
note by two chromatic semitones.
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.
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
Dynamics are indicators of the relative
intensity or volume of a musical line.
Pianississimo
Extremely soft. Very infrequently does one see
softer dynamics than this, which are specified with
additional ps.
Pianissimo
Very soft. Usually the softest indication in
a piece of music, though softer dynamics
are often specified with additional ps.
Piano
Soft. Usually the most often used indication
Mezzo piano
Literally, half as soft as piano.
Mezzo forte
Similarly, half as loud as forte. If no dynamic
appears, mezzo-forte is assumed to be the
prevailing dynamic level.
Forte
Loud. Used as often as
piano to indicate contrast.
Fortissimo
Very loud. Usually the loudest indication in a
piece, though louder dynamics are often
specified with additional fs.
Fortississimo
Extremely loud. Very infrequently does one see
louder dynamics than this, which are specified
with additional fs.
Sforzando
Literally "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
Crescendo
A gradual increase in volume.
Can be extended under many notes to indicate
that the volume steadily increases during the
passage.
Diminuendo
Also decrescendo
A gradual decrease in volume. Can be extended
in the same manner as crescendo.
Forte-piano
A section of music in which the music should
initially be played loudly (forte), then immediately
softly (piano).
The End !!
