Reading + Writing Music

• what instruments tend to use the treble clef?


  flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, trumpet, horn (higher pitched instruments)
• what instruments tend to use the bass clef?


  tuba, trombone, cello, bassoon, double bass (lower pitched instruments)
• what is the vocal tenor clef?


  same notes as treble but an octave lower
• what instruments use the vocal tenor clef?


  tenor voices and lead guitar
• what is the Alto clef?


  the middle point (centre of the stave) is middle c, used for instruments like the viola
• what is the tenor clef?


  the centre point (middle c) is one line above the middle, used for high notes on cello
• what is a double sharp?


  a symbol which raises the pitch of the note by 2 semitones
• what is a double flat?


  A double flat is a musical symbol that lowers a note by two semitones
• Accidentals


  not in key signature, applies to all notes of the same pitch until cancelled out by a natural sign
• Common time


  4/4
• 2/2


  cut common time
• anacrusis/upbeat


  does not start on the first beat of the bar, instead on an ’unaccented‘ beat
• simple time


  2,3,4 as top number, when counting count every beat
• compound time


  6,9,12 as top number, only count main beats (split into 3)
• in compound time what is the beat divided into?


  Groups of three
• metre


  pattern of the beats
• regular metre


  strong beats, same pattern throughout
• duple metre


  2 beats per bar
• 3 beats per bar


  triple metre
• quadruple metre


  4 beats per bar
• irregular metre


  could be 5 beats split into 2s and 3s , or 7 beats split into 3s and 2s or 3s and 4s
• free metre


  no particular metre, unusual
• hemiola


  gives the impression of a different metre, to create contrast within a piece
• What is the definition of a hemiola in music theory?


  A hemiola is a rhythmic technique where two different rhythmic patterns are superimposed.
• syncopation 


  off - beat notes ( strong beats moved onto weaker beats )
• polyrhythms

  2 or more contrasting rhythms played at the same time
• Bi-rhythm


  2 contrasting rhythms played at the same time
• semibreve rest 


  hangs from 2nd line

  
• minim rest


  lies on top of the 3rd line

  
• crotchet rest


  .

  
• quaver rest

  .

  
• semiquaver rest


  .

  
• triplet


  3 notes played in the time of 2