Vocal; Music Theory Book 1

Pace Vocal for Dancers Mid-Term Review

Accelerando

Gradually faster

Accent

Play the note louder, with a special emphasis

Accidental

A flat, sharp, or natural sign that appears within a piece of music

Adagio

Slow

Allegro

Quickly, cheerfully

Adante

Moving along (Walking speed)

Articulation

The manner in which a note is performed

Bar Line

The lines which cross the staff and divide it into measures or bars

Bass Clef

The clef used for notes in the lower pitch ranges

Acronym for Bass Clef

Good Boys Do Fine Always

Bass Staff

The staff on which the bass clef is placed. The two dots of the clef surround the line on which the note F is placed

Clef

A sign that helps organize the staff so notes can easily be read

Coda

An added ending

Count-off

The introduction given before a piece of music is performed to indicate the tempo of the beat

Crescendo

Gradually louder

D.C. (Da Capo)

Repeat from the beginning

D.C. al Coda

Repeat from the beginning and play to coda sign, then skip to coda

D.C. al Fine

Repeat from the beginning and play to the end (fine)

Decrescendo/Diminuendo

Gradually softer

Dot after a note

Increases the value of the notes duration by half the original value

Dotted Half Note

In 3/4 and 4/4 time, it receives 3 beats

Dotted Quarter Note

In time signatures with a 4 as the bottom number, it receives 1 ½ beats

Double Bar

Musical notation written at the end of a piece of music

D.S. (Dal Segno)

Repeat from the dal segno sign

D.S. al Coda

Repeat from the dal segno sign and play to coda sign, then skip to coda

D.S. al Fine

Repeat from the dal segno sign and play to the end (fine)

Dynamic Signs

Indicate the volume, or how soft or loud the music should be played

Eighth Note

In time signatures with a 4 as the bottom number, it receives 1/2 beat

Eighth Rest

In time signatures with 4 as the bottom number it receives 1/2 beat of silence

Enharmonic Notes

Two notes that sound the same but are written differently

Fermata

Hold the note for longer than its normal value

Fine

The end

1st and 2nd endings

Play or sing through the 1st ending to the repeat sign, then go back to the beginning, skip the 1st ending and play the 2nd

Flat

Lowers the pitch by one half step

Forte

Loud

Fortissimo

Very loud

Grand Staff

The bass staff and the grand staff connected by a brace and a line

Half Note

In time signatures with a 4 as the bottom number, it receives 2 beats

Half Rest

In time signatures with 4 as the bottom number, it recieves 2 beats of silence

Half Step

The distance from any key on the keyboard to the very next key above or below, whether black or white

Largo

Very slow

Ledger Line

Short lines which are added to extend the range of the staff when the notes are too low or too high to be written on the staff

Legato

To play or sing 2 or more notes smoothly connected

Measure (or Bar)

The area between two bar lines

Mezzo

Moderately

Mezzo Forte

Moderately loud

Mezzo Piano

Moderately soft

Middle C

The note in the middle of the grand staff and the C nearest the middle of the keyboard

Moderato

Moderately

Natural Sign

The natural sign before a note cancels a previous flat or sharp

Notes

The oval-shaped symbols that are placed on the lines and in the spaces of the staff. They represent musical sounds called pitches

Pianissimo

Very soft

Piano

A musical sound

Quarter Note

In time signatures with 4 as the bottom number, it receives 1 beat

Quarter Rest

In time signatures with 4 as the bottom number, it recieves 1 beat of silence

Repeat Sign

Return to the beginning or previous repeat sign at the beginning of the section

Ritardando

Gradually slower

Sforzando

A sudden, strong accent

Sharp

Raises the pitch by one half step

Slur

Smoothly connects two or more notes of different pitches by a curved line over or under the notes

Staccato

Play the note short and detached

Staff

The five lines and the four spaces between them on which music nots and other symbols are written

Tempo

A word meaning “rate of speed”. It tells how fast or slow to play the music

Tenuto

Hold the note for its full value

Tie

Two notes of the same pitch joined by a curved line over or under the note. Each note joined by a tie is held for its full value but only the first note is played or sung

Time Signature

Appears at the beginning of the music after the clef sign. It contains two numbers. The upper number tells how many beats are in each measure; the lower number indicates what type of note receives 1 beat

Treble Clef (or G Clef)

The clef used for notes in the higher pitch ranges

Treble Staff

The staff on which the treble clef is placed. The curl of the treble clef circles the line on which the note G is placed

Vivace

Lively and fast

Whole Note

In time signatures with 4 as the bottom number, it receives 4 beats

Whole Rest

Means to rest for a whole measure

Whole Step

The distance from any key on the keyboard to two keys above or below

“The Treble Clef is also called…”

The G Clef

“What line does the Bass Clef sit on?”

The 4th line

“What note is middle C?”

C4

“The Bass Clef is also called…”

The F Clef

“The line through middle C is called?”

Ledger Line

“What direction and side do stems extend from when the note is on or above the 3rd line?”

Down and to the left

“What direction and side do stems extend from when the note is below 3rd line?”

Up and to the right

“How long should stems extend to?”

The space or line with the same letter name above or below

“In 4/4 time how many quarter notes equal a whole note?”

4

“In 4/4 time how many quarter notes equal a half note?”

2

“In 4/4 time how many half notes equal a whole note?”

2

“In 4/4 time how many half notes equal 4 quarter notes”

2

“The upper number of a time signature indicates…”

How many beats are in each measure

“The lower number of a time signature indicates…”

What type of note receives 1 beat

“A half note + A half note = how many beats?”

4

“How many whole rests equal 2 half rests?”

1

“How many half rests equal 4 quarter rests?”

2

“How many quarter rests equal a half rest?”

2

“How many quarter rests equal a whole rest?”

4

“Where does a whole rest sit?”

Hangs down from the 4th measure

“Where does a half rest sit?”

On the 3rd line

“Music is divided into equal parts by…”

Bar Lines

“A…is written at the end of a piece of music”

Double Bar

“When a time signature contains a 4 as the top number, it means…beats in each measure”

4

“When a time signature contains a 4 as the bottom number, a quarter note receives…beat”

1

“When a time signature contains a 2 as the top number, it means…beats in each measure”

2

“What rest is never used in 2/4 or 3/4 time?”

Half rest

“What note is never used in 2/4 or 3/4 time?”

Whole note