music appreciation 101

space notes (treble clef)

FACE

line notes (treble clef)

Every Good Boy Deserves Football (EGBDF)

ledger lines

used for notes above/below the staff

whole note - value 4

whole note rest

dotted half note - value 3

dotted half note rest

half note - value 2

half note rest

quarter note - value 1

quarter note rest

eighth note - value 1/2

eighth note rest

sixteenth note - value 1/4

sixteenth note rest

dot

when on a note, add half of the note’s value to itself

ex: dotted half-note = 2 + 1 (1/2 of 2) = 3

space notes (bass clef)

All Cows Eat Grass (ACEG)

line notes (bass clef)

Great Britain Doesn’t Fight America (GBDFA)

bass clef

treble clef

fff

fortississimo (3x loud)

ff

fortissimo (2x loud)

f

forte (loud)

mf

mezzo-forte (medium-loud)

mp

mezzo-piano (medium-soft)p

p

piano (soft)

pp

pianissimo (2x soft)

ppp

pianississimo (3x soft)c

crescendo

gradually getting louder

decrescendo/diminuendo

gradually getting softer

fp

forte immediately to piano

sf

sforzato - forced

sfz

sforzando - forced

sfp

sforzando immediately to piano

legato

smoothly

marcato

accented, separated

tutti

all play

espressivo

expressive

dolce

sweetly, softly

leggiero

lightly

a2

two parts playing in unison

simile

in the same way

sempre

always

subito

suddenly

meno messo

less quickly

cantabile

singing

pesante

heavily

con fuoco

with fire

solo

prominent part played by one player

soli

prominent part played by one section

sempre staccato

always staccato

con moto

with motion

giocoso

humorous

doloroso

sorrowfully, painfully

ad libitum

at liberty

maestoso

majestically

piu mosso

more motion

stringendo

compressing, quickening of tempo

agitato

agitated, unsettled

capriccioso

unpredictable, changeable

prestissimo

very, very fast

vivace

fast and lightly

allegro

fast, quickly, brightly

allegretto

moderately fast

moderato

moderately

andante

“walking speed”

adagio

slow (with expression)

lento

slow

largo

slow and broad

grave

very slow