Note Reading
What is the other name for Treble Clef and what is our landmark note?
G clef, G on the second line right near the swirl
How many beats does a quarter note get? What does it look like?
1 beat. A colored-in notehead with a stem.
What is Meter?
The recurring accentuation pattern in the beats of a piece of music.
Tempo
The rate of the beats in a piece of music, measured in bpm.
What is a half step? Define and give an example
A short distance between notes. Notes that are immediately next to each other. B to C is a half step. C to C# is a half step.
What is the other name for Bass Clef and what is our landmark note?
F clef, F on the 4th line (between the dots on the clef)
How many beats does a dotted half note get? What does it look like?
3 beats. An empty notehead with a stem and a dot.
What is beat?
The underlying pulse of a piece of music.
Letters A, B, C, D, E, F, and G
What is a whole step? Define and give an example.
Made of two half steps. B to C# is a whole step. C to D is a whole step.
What is the other name for Alto Clef and what is our landmark note?
C Clef, C on the middle line.
How many beats does an 8th note get? What does it look like?
Half of a beat. Looks like a quarter note with a flag.
What is the difference between simple and compound time?
Simple: a meter in which the beat subdivides into two or four smaller units
Compound: a meter in which the beat subdivides into three or six smaller units
Octave
Same note but a higher or lower version of it.
What is a scale?
A collection of pitches, presented as a stepwise succession of notes. Used to organize the pitches present in a key or section of music. Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do.
What are ledger lines?
Lines drawn through, above, or below notes that are above or below a staff. They extend the staff's range past the five lines.
How many beats does a 16th rest get? What does it look like?
.25 beats of silence. It looks like a fancy 7.
What is the difference between an downbeat and an upbeat?
Downbeat: first and strongest beat of a measure
Upbeat: last and weakest beat that leads into the next measure
Staff
Five parallel lines used to indicate pitch
What is a Key Signature?
A listing of the accidentals in a key, placed at the start of the staff, to set the accidentals for the duration of the music.
What are the three accidentals and how do they work?
Sharps raise the pitch a half step
Flats lower the pitch a half step
Naturals bring the pitch back to its neutral self
Write out the correct rhythmic notation for the counts below:
1e+a 2e+ 3+a 4
See board
What is the fancy word for a "Pick-up"?
Anacrusis. This is an incomplete measure at the start of a piece that usually consists of just an upbeat that leads into the first full measure.
Enharmonic
Two notes that sound the same but have different spellings (C# and D flat)
What is a Chromatic scale?
A scale made up of only half steps.