AP Music Theory; Basic Theory (Grand Staff, Circle of Fifths, Scale Degrees, Drawing Notes)

Music Theory

The study of concepts and compositional methods in the creation of music.

Pitch

The highness or lowness of a sound.

Drawing the Grand Staff

Staff

Used in music to indicate the precise pitch desired.

Where do clefs go?

Beginning of the music, all the way to the left.

The 4 Clefs

Treble, Bass, Alto, Tenor

Pattern of Major Scales

WWHWWWH

Accidental

Notates whether the pitch is sharp, flat, or natural.

Draw the Circle of Fifths

Enharmonic

Same pitch, spelled differently.

Draw a half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, and whole note

Draw a half, quarter, and whole rest

Beat

Basic pulse in a musical passge.

Tempo

Steady pulse.

Time Signature

A symbol that tells performers how many beats will occur in each measure.

Scale Degrees

1. Tonic

2. Super Tonic

3. Mediant

4. Sub Dominant

5. Dominant

6. Sub Mediant

7. Leading Tone

8. Octave/Tonic