Theory Notes

Staff: A graph of 5 lines and 4 spaces on which music is written.

Pitch: The highness or lowness of musical sound.

Bass Clef: Generally refers to pitches below middle C.

PITCHES OF THE TREBLE CLEF (Lines and Spaces)

LINES: E-G-B-D-F

(Bottom to Top) Every Good Boy Does Fine

SPACES: F-A-C-E

(Bottom to Top) F-A-C-E (spells the word 'face')

PITCHES OF THE BASS CLEF (Lines & Spaces)

LINES: G-B-D-F-A

(Bottom to Top): Good Boys Do Fine Always

SPACES: A-C-E-G

(Bottom to Top): All Cows Eat Grass

Grand Staff: Two or more staves grouped together.

Barlines: Vertical lines that divide the staff into smaller sections.

Measures: The smaller divided sections of a staff.

Double Barlines

•(Two thin lines) The end of a section in a musical score.

•(One thin line followed by one thick line) The end of the music.

Repeat Signs

RHYTHM

Rhythm: The duration of musical notes and rests.

Beat: A steadily recurring pulse.

TIME SIGNATURES

4/4: Four beats per measure: Quarter note receives the beat.

3/4: Three beats per measure: Quarter note receives the beat.

2/4: Two beats per measure: Quarter note receives the beat.

COUNTING RHYTHM USING NUMBERS

SCALES AND KEY SIGNATURES

Key: A group of notes upon which a scale is based.

Key Signature: Located between the clef and the time signature, it identifies the number of sharps or flats in a scale.

Key Note: First and last pitch of a scale.

Scales: A series of eight notes (alphabetical order) that go in an ascending and descending order, with the first and last note of the scale being the same note name an octave apart.

SOLFEGE

Sing the pitches in each major scale using 'movable DO' (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do)