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St Benedict’s High School

Pupil Workbook 1

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Section 1 – NOTE NAMES

The STAVE is made up of 5 lines and 4 spaces and allows is to identify different notes.

The treble clef, or G clef, is places at the beginning of the stave.

The note letter names of the notes in the treble clef.

Notes on the lines: Notes in the spaces:

Here are all of the notes in ascending order.

As the notes rise on the stave, they also rise in pitch.

Exercise One:

What is the letter name of each of these notes? The first answer has been done for you. You

will need to ask your teacher for Worksheet 1.

Sometimes musical notes are lower than the bottom line or higher than the top line of the

stave. This means we need to add other lines. These are called ledger lines.

We are going to add one extra ledger line at the bottom and one extra at the top.

Ledger Line Ledger Line

G

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Exercise Two:

What is the letter name of each of these notes? Complete this task on Worksheet 1.

Exercise Three:

The following notes spell words. What are the words?

The first answer has been done for you. Complete this task on Worksheet 1.

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♪ ♪

Section 2 – TIME VALUES

Notes can have different pitches and different lengths. The shape of the note shows how long

it lasts for. Every type of note has a name.

Here are some of the most common notes:

Note Length Name

4 beats Semibreve

3 beats Dotted Minim

2 beats Minim

1 beat Crotchet

½ beat Quaver

1 beat Paired quavers

Exercise Four:

How long is each note? Complete the following sentences with the right number. The first one

is done for you. Complete this task on Worksheet 1.

(a) A last as long as 2__ __

(b) A last as long as

(c) A last as long as

(d) A last as long as

(e) A last as long as

Exercise Five:

Musical maths. Work out the answers to these sums. The first one is done for you. Complete

this task on Worksheet 1.

(a) + = ____ This note is called a minim .

(b) + = ____ This note is called a .

(c) + = ____ This note is called a .

(d) - = ____ This note is called a .

(e) - = ____ This note is called a .

♪

♪

♪

.

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Section 3 – BAR-LINES AND TIME SIGNATURES

Music is usually split into sections of equal numbers of beats. These sections are called bars

and are split by bar lines. At the end of the music there is a double bar line.

A repeat sign means that a section of the music should be played again.

Exercise Six:

How many beats are in each bar? The first answer has been done for you. Complete this task

on Worksheet 1.

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A time signature shows the total number of beats in a bar.

Here are the time signatures that you will use:

All of these time signatures are known as SIMPLE TIME SIGNATURES.

The top number of the time signature tells you how many beats are in a bar.

Exercise Seven:

In each of the following examples, complete each bar by adding ONE note. You must make

sure that the total number of beats in each bar is the same as the TOP number of the time

signature. You will need to ask your teacher for Worksheet 2.

2 3 4

4 4 4

4 4 4

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Exercise Eight:

Add the time signature in each of the following examples. Remember you are using time

signatures with either 2, 3 or 4 beats in the bar. Complete this task on Worksheet 2.

(a)

(b)

(c)

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Exercise Nine:

Insert the bar lines in each of the following excerpts. Don’t forget the double bar line at the

end. The first bar line has been is completed for you in each exercise. Complete this task on

Worksheet 2.

Exercise Ten:

Add suitable signs to show that the 4 bar section from bars 3-6 is to be played twice.

Complete this task on Worksheet 2.

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Section 4 – DRAWING NOTES ON THE STAVE

Great care must be taken when writing notes on to a stave. They must be clearly places on a

line or in a space otherwise the performer won’t know which note to play!

The easiest note to draw is the semibreve (4 beat note): it is simply an oval.

If you draw it on a line, the line must be through the middle of the note and the semibreve

should only cover half the space on either side.

For Example:

✓ ✗ ✗

If you draw a semibreve in a space, it should only fill the space, not overlap the lines.

✓ ✗ ✗

It is hard to see if the notes marked with a ✗ are on the line or between the lines.

Exercise Eleven:

Draw a semibreve on every line and in every space. You will need to ask your teacher for

Worksheet 3.

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Exercise Twelve:

Draw one correct semibreve on the stave above each letter. Where letters are repeated, you

should draw a different note of that same letter name on the stave. The first example has been

completed for you. Complete this task on Worksheet 3.

G C E F A D B E D G F

Exercise Thirteen:

This time words are given. Draw one correct semibreve above each letter to spell out the words

in notes. The first answer has been done for you. Complete this task on Worksheet 3.

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You can draw notes higher or lower than the five lines of the stave by drawing extra lines.

These extra lines are called ledger lines.

The same level of care needs to be taken when drawing notes with ledger lines.

Each note has its own ledger line:

✓ ✗

When you draw an extra line, they must not slope up or down. A ledger line should be straight

and drawn the same distance apart as the stave lines:

✓ ✗ ✗

The notes D and G sit below the bottom and above the top lines of the stave. These notes do

not need ledger lines.

✓ ✗ ✓ ✗

Exercise Fourteen:

You can draw notes higher or lower than the five lines of the stave by drawing extra lines. Can

you remember what these lines are called? Complete this task on Worksheet 3.

- Extra lines above or below the stave are called .

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Exercise Fifteen:

Draw one semibreve in each bar on a ledger line above the stave. The first one is done for you.

Complete this task on Worksheet 3.

Exercise Sixteen:

Draw one semibreve in each bar on a ledger line below the stave. The first one is done for you.

Complete this task on Worksheet 3.

Like semibreves, the note-heads of minims, crotchets and quavers are oval but they are a little

smaller.

The stem of a note goes down on the left and up on the right .

Here are some good and bad examples of notes. Notice how some are too long and others are

too short. Notes should also stand up straight.

✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗

The stems of notes on the

top two lines go down.

The stems of notes on

the middle line can

go up or down.

The stems of notes on the

bottom two lines go up.

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Exercise Seventeen:

Draw a crotchet on every line. Complete this task on Worksheet 3.

Exercise Eighteen:

Draw a quaver in every space. Complete this task on Worksheet 3.

Exercise Nineteen:

Draw a stem on each note head to turn each note into a crotchet. This first one has been done

for you. Complete this task on Worksheet 3.

Exercise Twenty:

Draw a stem and tail on each note head to turn each note into a quaver. This first one has been

done for you. Complete this task on Worksheet 3.

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Section 5 – REPETITION AND SEQUENCE

To repeat a section of music means to play exactly the same thing again.

Here is an example of repetition:

Notice that the second pattern of notes is exactly the same as the first.

Exercise Twenty-one:

Copy each group of notes into the space provided and also name the notes. You will need to

ask your teacher for Worksheet 4.

First Pattern Second Pattern

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A sequence copies a pattern or shape of notes at a different pitch. This means that something

in the music is repeated but sounds higher or lower in pitch than the original.

Here is an example of a sequence:

Each note in the second pattern is two notes higher than the first. When the notes

get higher in each pattern this is called an ascending sequence.

Here is another example of a sequence. This time the sequence is lower.

This time the second pattern of notes is one note lower than the first pattern. When

the notes get higher in each pattern this is called a descending sequence.

Exercise Twenty-two:

Write the following sequences one note higher. Complete this task on Worksheet 4.

Exercise Twenty-three:

Write the following sequences one note lower. Complete this task on Worksheet 4.

First Pattern Second Pattern

First Pattern Second Pattern

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Exercise Twenty-four:

Look at the following exercises and write down what you see. Complete this task on

Worksheet 4.

Choose from: Repetition Ascending Sequence Descending Sequence

Exercise Twenty-five:

This time you are asked to create your own example of repetition, an ascending sequence and

a descending sequence. Ask your teacher for Worksheet 5 to complete this exercise.

(a) This is my example of repetition:

(b) This is my example of an ascending sequence:

(c) This is my example of a descending sequence:

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Section 6 – DYNAMICS AND TEMPOS

Composers use words (often Italian) and signs to tell performers how to play their music. Two

of the most common instructions that composers give to the performers are dynamics

(volume) and tempo (speed).

Here are some examples Dynamic words and signs. These would be written underneath the

stave:

Dynamic Abbreviation Sign Meaning

Fortissimo ff Very loud

Forte f Loud

Mezzo forte mf Moderately loud

Mezzo piano mp Moderately quiet

Piano p Quiet

Pianissimo pp Very quiet

Crescendo cres.

Gradually get quieter

Diminuendo dim. Gradually get louder

Here are some examples Tempo words. These would be written above the stave:

Tempo Abbreviation Meaning

Allegro Fast

Andante At a medium (walking) pace

Adagio Slow

Accelerando accel. Gradually getting faster

Rallentando rall. Gradually getting slower

Exercise Twenty-six:

Here is an example of music with a tempo marking and dynamic markings. How would this

piece sound? Answer the questions below the stave. Complete this task on Worksheet 5.

(a) What is the tempo marking?

(b) What does this tempo marking mean?

(c) There are 4 dynamic markings, what are they?

(1) (2)

(3) (4)

(d) What does this marking at the end of the piece mean?

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Exercise Twenty-seven:

Look at the music below then answer the questions. Complete this task on Worksheet 5.

(a) These four dynamic markings are used: p f ff pp

Write them in order from the QUIETEST to the LOUDEST.

(b) What does cresc. mean?

(c) What does dim. mean?

(d) Which is the quietest bar of the music?

(e) Which are the two loudest bars of music?

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Section 7 – MORE ON NOTE VALUES

This note is a semiquaver. It is a quick note that lasts for ¼ of a beat.

Notes with tails, like a semiquaver, are often joined together.

For Example:

You can write two quavers joined together like this .

You can join semiquavers too. is the same as .

Exercise Twenty-eight:

How long is each note? Complete the sentence. The first one is completed for you. Ask your

teacher for Worksheet 6.

(a) A last as long as 2 __

(b) A last as long as

(c) A last as long as

(d) A last as long as

Exercise Twenty-nine:

Add one note at each * to complete the bar. Complete this task on Worksheet 6.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

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Exercise Thirty:

Join up the quavers and semiquavers in these pieces of music so that the notes are written in

correctly. The first one is done for you. Complete this task on Worksheet 6.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

2

4

4 2

4

4

4

4

4

3

2

3

3

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Section 8 – REVISION QUESTIONS

Exercise Thirty-one:

Put everything you have learned so far into action in the following questions. Study the music

below and answer the questions. Complete this task on Worksheet 7.

(a) Write the correct time signature in the box at the beginning of the stave.

(b) Give the meaning of p in bar 1.

(c) Give the meaning of f in bar 5.

(d) What does Adagio mean?

(e) What does this sign mean?

(f) Circle the sign that tells the performer to repeat the music.

Exercise Thirty-two:

Put everything you have learned so far into action in the following questions. Study the music

below and answer the questions. Complete this task on Worksheet 7.

(a) Draw the missing bar lines from the first stave.

(b) The speed is moderate. Write an appropriate Italian word above the first note to show this.

(c) There is a sequence at the bracket . Write the two missing notes at * * .

(d) Is this an ascending or descending sequence?

(e) What is the letter name of the last note in the excerpt?