Download Sample Copy of Level 1

Level One
Violin
$7.95
Music Theory
for
Strings
4
Zamora Publications
About the Author
Kari Zamora is currently the orchestra director at Faubion Middle School in McKinney,
Texas. Zamora received a Bachelor of Music Education from Hope College in Holland,
Michigan and received a Master of Music in Music Theory from the University of
Florida. While at the University of Florida, her presentation of her graduate thesis
connecting serialism to passacaglias won first place in the Fine Arts Graduate Student
Forum. Zamora is also a composer creating pieces for middle school string orchestras.
She has a passion teaching strings as well as teaching practical theory skills that are
meaningful to performance.
Acknowledgements
Mark Zamora, printing and publication
Glenn Zamora, illustration and designs
Michael Link, editing
Zamora Publishing © 2008
The Musical Alphabet
The musical alphabet includes letters from A through G. There are no Hs through
Zs! When the notes ascend (get higher), you go through the alphabet forward:
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
D
E….
When notes descend (get lower), you go through the alphabet backwards:
G
F
E
D
C
B
A
G
F
E
D
C
Exercises
1. In the blank, write the name of the note that would come AFTER the note
given
B____
F____
C____
G____
A____
D____
2. In the blank, write the name of the note that would come BEFORE the
note given
G____
E____
B____
F____
D____
A____
3. Write the musical alphabet ascending
4. Write the musical alphabet descending
1
The Staff
The musical staff is made up of five horizontal lines and four spaces in between
those lines.
As notes get lower,
they get lower on the staff
As notes get higher,
they get higher on the staff
1. Connect the dots creating your own staff
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
2. For each set of notes, determine if the second note is higher or lower
than the first note. Write H for higher and L for lower.
__
2
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
Clef Signs
A clef sign is placed at the beginning of every staff line. It determines the set of
pitches for that staff. Different instruments play in different clefs based on the
pitch range of their instrument. Instruments that play low pitches (cello and bass)
read in BASS CLEF. The viola, a middle-range instrument, reads in ALTO
CLEF. Instruments that play higher pitches (like violin), read in TREBLE
CLEF.
1. What is the name of your clef?
2. What is are the names of the two other clefs in orchestra?
Drawing your clef sign—treble clef
A treble clef sign looks like this
First draw a “fish hook”, draw at least 6 more of these
After drawing the fish hook, sweep to the left forming a loop, draw six
Extend to the bottom line of the staff and curve to the right, draw six
Continue curve and stop around the 2nd line of the staff, draw six
3
Time Signature
A time signature appears after the clef sign at the beginning of a piece of music. It
has two numbers. The top number tells how many beats are in each measure. The
bottom number designates what kind of note gets one beat. The numbers are not a
fraction. The beat is a steady pulse which remains unchanged despite various
rhythms happening in the music.
= 4 beats per measure
=the quarter note/quarter rest gets the beat
barline
barline
-measure-
A measure is the distance from one barline to the next barline.
1. Add barlines in each line according to the time signature
How many measures in this line?______
How many measures in this line?______
How many measures in this line?______
4
The Quarter Note
A quarter note receives one beat of sound. When a quarter note appears on or
below the third line of the staff it looks like this: q, stem up, on the right side, like a
“d” that is filled in.
NOTE: When a note is “on the line” it means the line cuts through the note
1. Practice drawing 12 quarter notes that are on or below the third line
When a quarter note appears on or above the third line of the staff it looks like this:
Q , stem down, on the left side, like a “p” that is filled in.
2. Practice drawing 12 quarter notes that are on or above the third line
When you draw quarter notes—remember d and p (Dr. Pepper). No note should
look like a “b” or a “q”.
3. Add stems to the following noteheads. Make sure that you place the stems
in the correct direction on the correct side of the note.
5
The Quarter Rest
A quarter rest receives one beat of silence. It is like an “invisible” note! Quarter
rests look like this:
1. Practice drawing 12 quarter rests on the staff below
Musical Math
Complete these mathematical musical equations with the correct number
Example
2.
4.
6.
6
+
q
-- q = _____
+ ____ =
+
+
+
q=2
3.
5.
q --
= ___
7.
--
q
= _____
q + q + q = _____
X 2 +
q = ____
Counting Quarter Notes and Quarter Rests
Counting rhythms is an important step in learning to play rhythms. Here is an
example of how all quarter notes would be counted:
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
The numbers always go in order and start over at “1” after each barline
When quarter rests are added, the number for that beat goes in parentheses since they are a
silent beat. Notice in the next example how all the beats in the measure are still shown:
1
(2) 3 (4) (1) 2 (3) 4
1
2 (3) 4
1
2
3 (4)
1. Write the counting below the notes in the following lines. Make sure you check the
time signature first!
7
Note names on the staff—treble clef
The names of the notes on the staff go up by step like a ladder:
E
F
G
A
B
C
D
E
F
Lines
The gray boxes are the names of the notes on the lines. “On the line” means that
the line cuts through the center of the note. A common way to remember the
names of the lines is: (from the first-bottom line)
Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge.
1. Put the name of each note in the blank under the note
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
Spaces
The white boxes above are the names of the notes in the spaces. From the bottom space up,
the names of the spaces spell F-A-C-E. Remember “space for my face”.
2. Put the name of each note in the blank under the note
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
8
Ledger Lines
Ledger lines extend the staff in both directions making it possible to play both
higher and lower notes. Since the staff is already a “ladder”, continue using the
ladder method to name notes on ledger lines. Here are ledger lines going up:
F
G
A
B
C
Here are ledger lines going down:
E
D
C
B
D
A
E
F
G
1. Write the note names underneath the notes then add barlines
9
Half Steps and Whole Steps
A half step is the closest distance between two notes. A whole step is made up of
two half steps put together.
On violin or viola a half step is where our fingers touch whereas a whole steps is
when our fingers are apart from each other. On cello a half step is when a note is
one finger away and a whole step is when a note is two fingers away. On bass, a
half step is two fingers away and a whole step is four fingers away.
Besides using your instrument, another great way to visualize half steps and whole
steps is by using a picture of a piano keyboard. A half step on a piano has no key
in between whereas a whole step has one key in between (don’t forget to look UP
for the black keys!)
V
V
Whole
Step
Half
Step
Whole
Half
Whole
Step
Step
Step
(E-F#)
(A#-B)
(C#-D#)
1. Mark whether the distance between the two notes is a half step or a whole
step. Use H for half and W for whole.
B___C#
E___F
A___B
C___D
F#___G
A___Bb
G___A
C#___D
10
B___C
G#___A
E___F#
D___Eb
F___G
D#___E
Sharps
A sharp sign (#) raises a note one half step higher. It is important to remember that
F and F# are two different notes.
A sharp should be drawn so that the middle square of the sharp is either fully
inside the space if it’s on a space or that the line cuts through the center of the
square if it is on a line.
On a space
On a line
When you write a sharp by a note it always goes BEFORE the note on the same
line or space as the note. When you say the note by letter name, the sharp goes
AFTER the letter.
1. Draw 5 sharps on lines and 5 sharps on spaces in the staff below.
2. Add sharps to these notes, then write the note name in the blank below.
__
__
__
__
__ __
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
11
3. Add sharps to these notes, then write the note name in the blank below.
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
Naturals
A natural sign cancels out a sharp or flat. It is also just the “regular” version of a
note. Saying F and F natural is the same thing.
A natural should be drawn so that the middle square of the natural is either fully
inside the space if it’s on a space or that the line cuts through the center of the
square if it is on a line.
On a space
On a line
When you write a natural by a note it always goes BEFORE the note on the same
line or space as the note. When you say the note by letter name, the natural goes
AFTER the letter.
1. Draw 5 naturals on lines and 5 naturals on spaces in the staff below.
2. Add naturals to these notes, then write the note name in the blank below.
__
__
__
__
__ __
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
3. Add naturals to these notes, then write the note name in the blank below.
__
12
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
Flats
b
A flat sign ( ) lowers a note one half step. B and Bb are different notes.
A flat should be drawn so that the circle of the flat is either fully inside the space if
it’s on a space or that the line cuts through the center of the circle if it is on a line.
Yes, often times, a flat looks like a lowercase “b”.
On a space
On a line
When you write a flat by a note it always goes BEFORE the note on the same line
or space as the note. When you say the note by letter name, the flat goes AFTER
the letter.
1. Draw 5 flats on lines and 5 flats on spaces in the staff below.
2. Add flats to these notes, then write the note name in the blank below.
__
__
__
__
__ __
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
13
3. Add flats to these notes, then write the note name in the blank below.
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
Notes on the D and A string
The first notes that are learned on the D and A strings are part of what’s called
“finger pattern number 1”. There are five notes in a finger pattern.
Åyour open string name will go in each triangle
whole step
whole step
half step
whole step
Å your first finger
Å your second finger (H2)
Åyour third finger
Å your fourth finger
1. Fill in the note names for all open strings and all notes on the A and D string
2. Draw all of the notes that you filled in on the above chart on the staff below in
quarter notes. Be careful of sharp placement and stem direction. Write the
name of the note BELOW each note. (hint: there should be 12 notes in all)
14
Major Tetrachords
Tetrachords are made up of FOUR notes moving by step (no skips). A major
tetrachord has a specific whole step and half step formula. This is also the first
four notes of finger pattern #1.
D
E
W
F#
W
G
H
(W=whole step H=half step)
1. Determine if the following sets of four notes are major tetrachords or not.
Circle ONLY the major tetrachords.
C D E F#
G A B C
A B C D
E F# G# A
2. Fill in the blanks below creating major tetrachords. The first note has
already been filled in for you.
G ____ _____ ____
F ____ ____ ____
A ____ ____ ____
C ____ ____ ____
D ____ ____ ____
E ____ ____ ____
3. What is the whole step/half step pattern for all major tetrachords?
4. How many notes are in a tetrachord?
5. Do tetrachords move by skip or by step?
15
Major Scales
A major scale is made up of 8 notes total. It is also the combination of two major
tetrachords joined with a whole step. The notes of a scale move by step and a scale
should ALWAYS begin and end on the same note name.
C D E F G A B C
W W H W W W H
(W=whole step H=half step)
1. How many notes are in a scale?
2. How many tetrachords are in a scale?
3. What is the half/whole step pattern for all major scales?
4. Write out the following scales ascending. The first note has been given for
you. Be careful to mark sharps by the correct notes. Circle each
tetrachord when you are finished and mark all of the half and whole steps
G
D
16
Eighth Notes
An eighth note is worth a half a beat of sound. Two eighth notes equal one quarter
note. Eighth notes can be seen by themselves or in groups of two or more barred
together with a single beam.
=
1
+
=
1
+
1
+
2
+
1
+
2
+
Eighth notes are counted by saying “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and”. The number
always falls on the downbeat (or a foot tap down). The “and” (+) always falls on
the upbeat (foot tap up).
1. Draw 6 single eighth notes and 6 pairs of eighth notes (watch stem direction)
2. Count the following rhythms
3. Add barlines, then count the following rhythm
4. From the counting below, write rhythms that would match the counting,
draw your clef sign, correct time signature and barlines
1 2 + 3 4 + 1 + 2
3 (4) (1) 2 + 3 + 4 1 (2) 3 + 4 1 2 (3) 4 +
17
Key Signatures
A key signature is the recipe of what notes are sharp, flat or natural for the entire
song. It is placed at the beginning of every line of music following the clef sign.
Reminder: read the sharps/flats like notes from left to right regardless of
placement from top to bottom.
F, C, and G would be sharp
B, E, and A would be flat
Name the sharps or flats in the key signatures in the order that they appear
_________
___________
_____________
___________
___________
____________
18
The D major scale
The D major scale has two sharps in the key signature—F and C. They always
appear in that order.
The D major scale ascending (going up)
Notice that it consists of the D and A major tetrachords.
1. Write the note names for all open strings, then write the note names in the
circles on the D and A strings for the D major scale.
2. Write the note of the D major scale DESCENDING in quarter notes on the staff
below. Don’t forget to add a clef and key signature at the beginning of the line!
19
Note Name Speed Test
See how quickly you can name all of these notes! Write the note names
under each note.
20
Accidentals
When a flat, natural, or sharp appears before a note and it is not already in the key
signature it is called an accidental. The accidental lasts through the end of the
measure.
1. If you are playing in the key of D major (F# and C#), name 6 accidentals
that could appear. Choose two flats, two naturals, and two sharps
2. Tell whether or not the FIRST note is higher or lower than the SECOND
note. Write H for higher or L for lower
Ab_____A
C#_____C
E_____Eb
D_____D#
F_____F#
Gb_____G
B_____Bb
A#_____A
D_____Db
Fill in the blanks
3. A flat ________ a note by a _______ ________
4. A sharp_________a note by a _________ _________
5. A natural__________ out a _______________ or ____________________
21
The Half Note
A half note receives two beats of sound. Half notes look like quarter notes without
the noteheads filled in: h or H . The same rules about directions and placements of
stems on quarter notes apply to half notes.
1 (2) 3 (4)
The parenthesis show how the note is held THROUGH that beat
1. Practice drawing 12 half notes that are on or below the third line
2. Practice drawing 12 half notes that are on or above the third line
3. Add stems to the following noteheads then add barlines according to the
time signature
22
The Half Rest
A half rest receives two beats of silence. It is like an “invisible” half note! Half
rests look like a “top hat” on top of the third staff line:
(1
2)
(3
4)
1. Practice drawing 12 half rests on the staff below
Musical Math
Complete these mathematical musical equations with the correct number
Example
1.
3.
5.
-- q = _____
+
h
+ ____ =
+
h
+
+
q=3
2.
4.
q --
= ___
6.
--
q
h+q +
X 3 +
= _____
= _____
q = ____
23
Counting Half Notes and Half Rest
Here is an example of how half notes and rests mixed with quarter notes and rests
would be counted:
1
(2) 3
(4)
1 (2)
(3 4)
1
2
3
(4)
1
(2) 3 (4)
Reminder: The numbers always go in order and start over at “1” after each barline and
EVERY beat is shown.
:
1. Write the counting below the notes in the following lines. Make sure you check the
time signature first!
24
Notes on the G, D and A string
Let’s learn the G string note names in finger pattern #1!
Åyour open string name will go in each triangle
whole step
whole step
half step
whole step
Å your first finger
Å your second finger (H2)
Åyour third finger
Å your fourth finger
1. Fill in the note names for all open strings and all notes on the G, A and D string
2. Draw all of the notes that you filled in on the above chart on the staff below in
half notes. Be careful of sharp placement and stem direction. Write the name
of the note BELOW each note. (hint: there should be 16 notes in all)
25
The G major scale
The G major scale has one sharp in the key signature—F. Because there is NO C#
in the key signature, it means that C is NATURAL.
The G major scale descending (going down)
Notice that it consists of the G and D major tetrachords.
1. Write the note names for all open strings, then write the note names in the
circles on the G and D strings for the G major scale.
2. Write the notes of the G major scale ASCENDING in quarter notes on the staff
below. Don’t forget to add your clef and key signature at the beginning of the
line!
26
Finger Pattern #1 on all strings
To review:
Åyour open string name will go in each triangle
whole step
whole step
half step
whole step
Å your first finger
Å your second finger (H2)
Åyour third finger
Å your fourth finger
1. Fill in the note names for all open strings and all notes on all strings
2. Draw all of the notes that you filled in on the above chart on the staff below in
half notes. Be careful of sharp placement and stem direction. Write the name
of the note BELOW each note. (hint: there should be 20 notes in all)
27
The Whole Note and Whole Rest
A whole note receives four beats of sound. Whole notes look like half notes
without stems.
1 (2 3 4)
The parenthesis show how the note is held THROUGH that beat
A whole rest receives four beats of silence OR silence for the whole measure in
time signatures that have less than four beats per measure. Whole rests hang from
the fourth line.
(1 2 3 4)
1. Practice drawing 12 whole notes
2. Practice drawing 12 whole rests
28
Counting Whole Notes and Whole Rest
Here is an example of how whole notes and rests mixed with quarter notes, half
notes, quarter rests, and half rests would be counted:
1
(2
3
4)
(1 2 3 4)
1 (2)
(3
4)
1
(2)
3
4
Reminder: The numbers always go in order and start over at “1” after each barline and
EVERY beat is shown.
:
1. Write the counting below the notes in the following lines. Make sure you check the
time signature first!
29
Finger Pattern #2 on all strings
Finger pattern #2 has a half step between first and second fingers
Åyour open string name will go in each triangle
whole step
half step
whole step
whole step
Å your first finger
Å your second finger (L2)
Åyour third finger
Å your fourth finger
1. Fill in the note names for all open strings and all notes on all strings
2. Draw all of the notes that you filled in on the above chart on the staff below in
half notes. Be careful of sharp placement and stem direction. Write the name
of the note BELOW each note. (hint: there should be 20 notes in all)
30
Minor Tetrachords
Tetrachords are made up of FOUR notes moving by step (no skips). A minor
tetrachord has a specific whole step and half step formula. This is also the first
four notes of finger pattern #2.
D E F G
W H W
(W=whole step H=half step)
1. Determine if the following sets of four notes are minor tetrachords or not.
Circle ONLY the minor tetrachords.
C D E F#
G A B C
A B C D
E F# G A
2. Fill in the blanks below creating minor tetrachords. The first note has
already been filled in for you.
F ____ _____ ____
G____ ____ ____
D ____ ____ ____
C ____ ____ ____
A ____ ____ ____
E ____ ____ ____
3. What is the whole step/half step pattern for all major tetrachords?
4. How many notes are in a tetrachord?
5. Do tetrachords move by skip or by step?
31
The Dotted Half Note/The Rule of the Dot
A half note receives two beats of sound. When you add a dot to a note it adds half
of the value of the note. Half of two is one and one plus two is three; therefore, the
dotted half note receives three beats of sound. When drawing a dotted half note in
a space, the dot goes in the same space as a note. When drawing a dotted half note
on a line, the dot goes in the space above the line.
1 (2 3)
1 (2
3)
The parenthesis show how the note is held THROUGH that beat
1. Practice drawing 12 dotted half notes that are on or below the third line
2. Practice drawing 12 dotted half notes that are on or above the third line
3. Count the following rhythms using parentheses in the correct places
4. How many beats does a dotted whole note receive__________
5. How many beats does a dotted quarter note receive_________
32
Ties and Slurs
Both ties and slurs use a curved line, but they are very different. A tie is a curved
line connecting two or more of the same notes. The tie adds the note values
together. The following notes sound the same and are played and counted the
same way.
=
=
Draw a note using exactly one tie that will add up to the number indicated
under the staff
3
4
5
6
7
8
A slur is a curved line connecting two or more different notes. The slur indicates
to play both of the notes in the same bow.
Mark whether or not the following groups of notes are Ties (T) or Slurs (S)
___
___
___
___
___
___
33
The C major scale
The C major scale has no sharps or flats in the key signature. Remember that this
key signature is not “nothing”, it is the omission of both sharps and flats.
The C major scale ascending (going up)
Notice that it consists of the C and G major tetrachords.
1. Write the note names for all open strings, then write the note names in the
circles on the G, D, and A strings for the C major scale.
2. Write the notes of the C major scale DESCENDING in quarter notes on the
staff below. Don’t forget to add your clef and key signature at the beginning of
the line!
34
Dynamics
In music, the name for volume is dymanics. Forte (f) means loud. Mezzo Forte
(mf) is medium loud. Mezzo Piano (mp) is medium soft. Piano (p) is soft.
Fill in the table with the appropriate terms/symbols/definitions
p
Soft
mp
Mezzo piano
Medium
loud
forte
Other Musical Terms/Symbols
1. Draw the following Symbols
Up Bow
Down Bow
Repeat Sign
Staccato
Quarter
Note
Natural Sign
2. What does DC al Fine mean?
35
Note Name Analogies
Fill in the blank with the note name that completes the equation.
1. Open A is to C# as Open D is to ____
2. E is to G as ______ is to D
3. A is to B as B is to _______
4. Open G is to C as Open A is to ______
5. G is to Open D as ______ is to Open G
6. E is to F# as D is to _____
7. D is to F as A is to _____
8. G is to A as D is to ____
9. D is to A as ___ is to G
10. C is to D as ____ is to C#
BONUS QUESTION: F is to A as ____ is to D
36
Rhythm Counting Review
Count the following rhythms
37
Theory Knowledge Ladder—Level One
The C major Scale (one octave)___
Ties/Slurs___
Dynamics/Terms___
Dotted Half Notes___
Minor Tetrachords___
Finger Pattern #2___
Counting whole notes/rests___
Finger Pattern #1___
The G major Scale___
Counting half notes/rests___
The D major Scale___
Key Signatures___
Counting eighth notes___
Major scales___
Major tetrachords___
Flats___
Naturals___
Sharps___
Half Steps/Whole Steps___
Ledger Lines___
Note Names___
Counting Quarter notes/rests___
Time Signatures___
Drawing staff and clef signs___
Theory Knowledge Ladder—Level One
The C major Scale (one octave)___
Ties/Slurs___
Dynamics/Terms___
Dotted Half Notes___
Minor Tetrachords___
Finger Pattern #2___
Counting whole notes/rests___
Finger Pattern #1___
The G major Scale___
Counting half notes/rests___
The D major Scale___
Key Signatures___
Counting eighth notes___
Major scales___
Major tetrachords___
Flats___
Naturals___
Sharps___
Half Steps/Whole Steps___
Ledger Lines___
Note Names___
Counting Quarter notes/rests___
Time Signatures___
Drawing staff and clef signs___