Download NOTE - Big Lake Schools

The Staff
• The STAFF is a place where musical notes are written.
• It is composted of FIVE lines and FOUR spaces.
• Lower-pitched notes are written LOWER on the staff.
o Higher-pitched notes are written HIGHER.
• Sometimes notes are so high or so low they need to be written with
LEDGER lines.
• Ledger lines are small lines that allow the staff to be EXTENDED .
o How many ledger lines can be used?
! AS MANY AS NEEDED
The Clefs
• CLEFS assign individual notes to the lines and the spaces.
• The use of DIFFERENT CLEFS makes it possible to write music
for all instruments, even though some sound much HIGHER or
LOWER than others.
• TREBLE -clef ( G clef): This clef determines that a note placed on
the second line is a G.
• BASS -clef ( F clef): This clef determines that a note placed on the
fourth line is an F.
• C-clef on the third line: This clef determines that a note placed on
the third line is a C. This is also known as the Alto Clef.
• C-clef on the fourth line: This clef determines that a note placed on
the fourth line is a C. This is also known as the Tenor Clef.
• The most commonly used clefs are the G-clef (TREBLE Clef) and
the F-clef on the fourth line (BASS Clef).
• Among the instruments that use the TREBLE clef are the violin,
flute, saxophone, clarinet, guitar, French horn, and trumpet.
• Among the instruments that use the BASS clef are the cello, string
bass, bass guitar, trombone, baritone, and tuba.
• The piano and harp use both the Treble clef (for HIGHER notes) and
the Bass Clef (for LOWER notes).
Notes
• There are 7 NATURAL notes.
• These notes are REPEATED in the same ORDER to reach higher
and lower pitches.
• Each of these repetitions is called an OCTAVE
• The Treble Clef determines that a note placed on the second line is a
G
• This line serves as a REFERENCE point, which can help you
determine the position of the rest of the notes.
• The Bass Clef determines that a note placed on the fourth line is a F.
• This line serves as a reference point, which can help you determine
the position of the rest of the NOTES.
Note Values
• The length of time a note lasts is determined by a NOTE VALUE.
• They are differed by using the color of the NOTE HEAD, the
presence or absence of a STEM, and the presence or absence of
FLAGS.
• The WHOLE note is represented by a hollow note head
with no stem.
• It has the LONGEST note duration in general use
nowadays.
• The HALF note is represented by a hollow note head with a
stem.
WHOLE note.
• It has 1/2 the duration of a
• The Quarter note is represented by a filled-in note head with
a stem.
• It has 1/2 the duration of a
HALF note.
• The EIGHTH note is represented by a filled-in note head
with a stem and a flag.
• It has 1/2 the duration of a
QUARTER note.
• The SIXTEENTH note is represented by a filled-in note
head with a stem and two flags.
• It has 1/2 the duration of an
EIGHTH note.
• The thirty-second note is represented by a filled-in note head
with a stem and three flags
• It has half the duration of a sixteenth note
• The sixty-fourth note is represented by a filled-in note head
with a stem and four flags
• It has half the duration of a thirty-second note.
Here’s the break down!
Rests
• RESTS are used to show periods of SILENCE .
• There is an equivalent REST symbol for each NOTE value, which
represents its same LENGTH.
Whole
Half
Quarter
Eighth
Sixteenth ThirtySecond
SixtyFourth
Ex: Both a quarter note & a quarter rest equal the same amount of time!
• A note represents a SOUND and a rest represents it’s ABSENCE.
Time Signature
• Vertical bars called BAR LINES divide the staff into measures.
• TIME SIGNATURES make it possible to know the amount, and type
of notes, that each measure contains.
Ditto!
These two are the same!
• The following measures are in TWO-FOUR time (2/4)
• Each measure contains
two QUARTER notes.
• The following measures are in THREE-TWO time (3/2)
• Each measure contains
three HALF notes.
• The following measures are in SIX-EIGHT time (6/8)
• Each measure contains
six EIGHTH notes.
Time Signature Cheat Sheet
Time Signature: Tells you how many beats in a measure.
# = top number tells you how many beats in a measure
# = bottom number tells you what kind of note gets the beat
4/4 & Common Time
4 beats in a measure
QUARTER note gets the beat
2/4 Time
2 beats in a measure
QUARTER note gets the beat
3/4 Time
3 beats in a measure
QUARTER note gets the beat
6/8 Time
6 beats in a measure
EIGHTH note gets the beat
2/2 & Cut Time
2 beats in a measure
HALF note gets the beat
The Beat
• The beat is a STEADY PULSE that keeps the music going and drives
it forward.
o The beat can go FAST or SLOW but must ALWAYS be
STEADY.
o This is similar to your own HEART beat
! What happens if it stops or is not steady? (Nothing good!)
• One way we keep track of the beat in band is with our FEET!
o This helps us keep the PULSE steady so we don’t play our notes
too FAST or SLOW.
o We try to use just our TOES so your foot doesn’t get tired and
so you don’t distract an audience.
Subdivision
• Once you know how to keep a steady beat, the next step is to learn to
SUBDIVIDE!
• SUBDIVISION is the act of breaking down a larger rhythmic patter
into smaller parts so that it may be more easily understood.
• QUARTER notes written in 4/4 time are subdivided like this:
• Each quarter note gets 1 number because each quarter note is worth
ONE beat and there are FOUR beats per measure!
• EIGTH notes written in 4/4 time are subdivided like this:
• Each eighth note gets either a number or an & symbol because each
eighth note is worth HALF a beat and there are FOUR beats per
measure!
Subdivision Cheat Sheet
Note
Whole
Elementary
Subdivision
(1 measure)
Ta-a-a-a
Middle School
Subdivison
(1 measure)
1 (234)
Ta-a
1(2), 3(4)
Ta, Ta, Ta, Ta
1, 2, 3, 4,
Ti-ti, Ti-ti,Titi,Ti-Ti
1 + , 2+ , 3 +, 4 +
or
Half
or
Quarter
or
Eight
or
Sixteenth
or
Tic-a-tic-a, Tica-tic-a, Tic-atic-a, Tic-a-tic-a
Music Theory Packet
Contents
#1. Staff
#2. Clefs
#3. Notes
#4. Note Values
#5. Time Signature
#6. Rest
#7. Dots & Ties
#8-9. Accidentals
#10. Key Signature
#11. Simple Meter
#12. Compound Meter
#13. Asymmetric Meter
#14. Strong & Weak Beats
#15. Syncopation