Music Notation

• a collection of 52 white keys and 36 black keys.

• Our relative perception of how high or low a sound is.
• <------ ------->
• lower higher

Specific context of a sound of specific pitch

• Alphabetic
• A B C D E F G

• Syllabic
• la ti do re mi fa sol

encompasses not only pitch but the whole collection of symbols that convey instructions from the composer to the performer - including rhythm, speed, & volume

• keys that are right next to each other and encompass the smallest pitch difference
• 1. white to black
• 2. black to white
• 3. white to white

• 2 semitones and the smallest pitch difference between non-adjacent keys
• - black to black
• - black to white
• - white to white
• - white to black

• white keys are:
• internal keys: D
• external keys: C & E

• internal white keys: G & A
• external white keys: F & B

adjacent black key to the right of a white key & produces a pitch a half-step higher

• Raises the pitch a whole step

• adjacent black key to the left of a white key that produces a pitch half-step lower than the original

• lowers the pitch of a note by a whole step
• ex: D to D double flat = D to C

• cancels all previous accidentals

2 pitches that sound the same but have different names & look different on paper

eight white keys between a letter name & its next occurance up or down

• C D E F G A B C
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Pitches that fall within an octave from C to C

ex: C4 D5 E5 F5 G5 A5 B5 C5

a system of 5 horizontal lines & the 4 spaces between them.

plural: stave

the oval-shaped part of notes that are placed on the lines or in the spaces

• short lines are temporarily added above & below the staff. Added to individual notes.

musical symbol that fixes a particular pitch on a specific line of the staff.

4 clefs: Treble, Bass, Alto, & Tenor

fixes G above middle C on the 4th line of a staff

Fixes F below middle C on the 4th line of a staff

Fixes middle C on the staff line where it is placed. This is a moveable clef. Alto/Tenor Clef

The treble & bass staves are joined

Placed right in the middle of the grand staff

Placed above a group of notes of the treble clef indicates that those notes should be played an octave higher than written

placed below a group of notes on the treble clef and indicates that those notes should be played an octave lower

• a consecutive ascending or descending arrangement of pitches represented by letter names

• Involve different letter names & staff locations

Involve the same letter names & staff location