Music Notation
What do we call the symbol that shows how high or low a note is?
Pitch/Note Name
What word tells the speed of the music (how fast or slow it goes)
Tempo
What word tells musicians how loudly or softly to play?
Dynamics
How many beats does a quarter note get in common counting?
One Beat
In a time signature, which number tells how many beats are in each measure?
Top Number
What are the five horizontal lines and four spaces?
The staff
If a piece is marked "Allegro," is it generally slow or fast?
Fast
What does "piano" (abbreviated "p") mean to the performer?
Soft
Which note is held for two beats?
Half note
What does a time signature of 4/4 mean in words?
Four beats per measure (top number); Quarter note gets one beat (Bottom number)
Name the symbol that shows where middle C is placed on the staff for higher-pitched instruments (treble) or lower (bass).
Clef - Treble and Bass
What Italian term means "very slow"?
Largo or adagio
What does "forte" (abbreviated "f") mean to the performer?
Loud
What is the symbol called that connects two or more eighth notes together?
Beam
Which time signature is commonly called "common time" and often written as a "C" symbol?
4/4; Common Time
What is the name of the short vertical line that connects the note head to the flag or beam?
Stem
If a teacher says "play this quarter note at 60 beats per minute," how many quarter-note beats will occur in one minute?
60 quarter notes
What two-letter marking tells a musician to play very softly?
PP - pianissimo
How many eighth notes fit in one 4-beat measure?
Eight
How many quarter-note beats are in a measure with time signature 3/4?
Three
What do you call the group of notes that share a key like C major or G major?
Key signature
What symbol or marking often appears above the staff to show the exact speed, sometimes written as a number like 120?
Metronome/Beats Per Minute (BPM)
If a piece begins quietly and gets louder, what Italian term describes getting louder?
Crescendo
If you combine a dotted half note and a quarter note in a 4-beat measure, how many beats total do they make?
4 Beats
If the time signature is 6/8, how many beats are usually counted and which note value gets the beat in simple compound counting?
Usually two main beats per measure with the eighth note as the subdivision; commonly felt as two beats where each beat equals three eighth notes — accept explanation that 6/8 groups into two beats of three eighths