4. The Staff is divided into measures
by bar lines.
Clef Bar Line Bar Line Bar Line
Bar Line
5. 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.
6. 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
7. The letter names of the spaces from
the bottom up spell FACE.
F A C E
8. 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.
12. Accidentals
Flat-Lowers the pitch of a note by one
semitone.
Double Flat-Lowers the pitch of a note by
two 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.
13. 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.
14. 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
15. 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.
16. Dynamics are indicators of the relative
intensity or volume of a musical line.
Dynamics
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
17. 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.
18. 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
Fortissimo
Very loud. Usually the loudest indication in a
piece, though louder dynamics are often
specified with additional fs.
19. 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).
