Beat Vs. Count
BEAT is the steady pulse in the music and COUNT is how we
measure the beat in the music.
Note DurationsNote Name: Whole Note Note Duration: 4 Counts
Note Name: Half NoteNote Duration: 2 Counts
Note Durations
Note Name: Eighth Note (Flagged)Note Duration: 1/2 count
Note Name: Quarter NoteNote Duration: 1 Count
Note Durations
Note Name: Dotted Half NoteNote Duration: 3 Counts
Note Name: Eighth Note (Barred)Note Duration: 1/2 (+) 1/2 = 1
Music AlphabetA
BC
DEFG
The Music Alphabet consists of seven notes. Once you get to G you go back to A and repeat again.
Note Names
Bottom Space: F
2nd Space: A
3rd Space: C
Top Space: EF
AC
EWhat do the letters of the spaces spell?
Note Names
2nd Line: G
Top Line: F
3rd Line: B
4th Line: D
Bottom Line: E
E
G
B
DF What is a
saying we can use to remember the lines?
Time Signatures
Definition: Time signatures tell us how many beats per measure and
what note gets the beat.
Top Number = How Many Beats per Measure
Time Signatures
Top Number = 4 =
Top Number = 3 =
Top Number = 95 =
4 Beats Per Measure
3 Beats Per Measure
95 Beats Per Measure
Time SignaturesBottom Number = What note gets the beat
__4__4
__6__8
__2__2
Quarter Note Eighth Note Half Note
Common Time – Another way of writing a 4/4 time signature. It means the SAME as a
4/4 time signature does
Time Signatures
Time Signatures= 4 Beats Per Measure
= Quarter Note gets the Beat
= 3 Beats Per Measure
= Quarter Note gets the Beat
Time Signatures= 6 Beats Per Measure
= Eighth Note gets the Beat
= 9 Beats Per Measure
= Eighth Note gets the Beat
Rest Types
Rest Name: Half Rest Rest Duration: 2 counts
Rest Name: Whole Rest Rest Duration: 4 counts
Rest Types
Rest Name: Eighth RestRest Duration: 1/2 count
Rest Name: Quarter RestRest Duration: 1 count
Rhythm and RestsRemember to check your time signatures!
1 + 2 (3) + 4 (1) 2_3_4
Parentheses go around rest counts to indicate silence
1_2_3 4 + (1_2_3_4)
Bass ClefThis is a BASS CLEF.
The bass clef is used to indicate notes in a lower range.
**Practice drawing bass clefs**
Bass Clef Note Names
Bottom Space: A
2nd Space: C
3rd Space: E
Top Space: G
What is a saying we can use to remember
the spaces?A
C
E
G
Bass Clef Note NamesBottom Line: G
2nd Line: B
3rd Line: D
4th Line: F
Top Line: A
What is a saying we can use to remember the lines?
G
B
D
F
A
To find C…
Find a set of TWO black keys, the note directly to the left of the two
black keys is C.
Piano – White Keys
Piano – White Keys1. Find a set of two black keys
2. Go to the note directly to the left of the black keys.
Piano – White Keys
THIS IS C!
To find F…
Find a set of THREE black keys, the note directly to the left of the
three black keys is F.
Piano – White Keys
Piano – White Keys1. Find a set of THREE black keys
2. Go to the note directly to the left of the black keys.
Piano – White Keys
THIS IS F!
English Word
Very Very Loud/StrongVery Loud/StrongLoud/StrongMedium Loud/StrongMedium Soft
Italian Word
FortississimoFortissimoForteMezzo ForteMezzo Piano
Dynamics
English Word
SoftVery SoftVery Very SoftGradually get louderGradually get softer
Italian Word
PianoPianissimoPianississimoCrescendoDecrescendo
Dynamics
English Word
Very Very Loud/StrongVery Loud/StrongLoud/StrongMedium Loud/StrongMedium Soft
Symbol
ffffff
mfmp
Dynamics
English Word
SoftVery SoftVery Very SoftGradually get louderGradually get softer
Symbol
ppp
ppp<>
Dynamics
Octave
Definition: Two pitches of the same name where one is sounding eight tones higher
than the other.
HarmonyDefinition: When different voice parts are singing different rhythms or notes
at the same time
Dotted Quarter NoteAdding a DOT to a note:
A dot after a note takes half the note value and adds it to the original note,
creating a new note.
Rhythm Counting
1_+_2 + 3_+_4 + 1_2_3_4
1 +_2_+ (3) + 4 (+)
It will look like a sandwich with either numbers or and signs
sandwiching something in the middle
Grand Staff
A GRANDSTAFF is when the treble and bass clefs are seen together.
Grand StaffWhen the treble and bass clef are combined,
everything stays the same!
C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C