Music Theory Ultimate Guide

Staff (Staves)

Where most music is written

Clefs

What determines the names of the lines and spaces used

C Clef

Sign used for many different vocal range clefs in music

Movable C Clef

The clef that locates middle C and moves around from line to line to designate range

Alto Clef

When the C Clef is placed on the third line of the staff

Tenor Clef

When the C Clef is placed on the fourth line of the staff

Treble Clef

When the G Clef is placed on the second line of the staff

Bass Clef

When the F Clef is placed on the fourth line of the staff

Pitch

The highness or lowness of a sound

Ledger Lines

Small lines that extend the staff while still keeping the five lines and four spaces intact

Articulation

__ can also be indicated by symbols such as dots, lines, and accents placed above or below the note.

Exact Interval Size

The __ is described by quantity and quality.

Rhythmic Patterns

__ should be grouped with the beam to indicate beat units.

Intervals

All __ built from the tonic up to notes within a major scale are either major or perfect.

Compound Meter

In __, the time signature represents the subdivision, not the beat.

Key Signature

The __ is always written on the staff between the clef and the meter signature.

Interval

A minor __ is one- half step smaller than major.

System

When multiple staves are connected together by bar lines, brackets, or a brace

Neutral clef

Used for rhythm only or for pitchless or untuned instruments such as triangle, cymbals, or tambourine

Half Step

The smallest space or distance between notes

Sharp

Raises the pitch one-half step above its natural pitch

Flat

Lowers the pitch one-half step below its natural pitch

Natural

The musical symbol that cancels out a flat or a sharp

Double Sharp

Musical symbol used to raise a pitch by two half steps

Double Flat

Musical symbol that lowers the pitch by two half steps

Dot and Tie

Two symbols that extend the length or duration of a note

Dot

Used to extend the value of a single note by one-half of its original value

Double Dot

Lengthens the dotted note value by half the length of the first dot

Tie

It combines the durational values of two or more notes of the same pitch using a curved line

Half Step

Whole Step

The distance between two notes that are two semitones or two half steps apart

Interval

The distance between two pitches

Quality

Expressed by a number and determined by counting the distance between one letter name and the next letter name

Diminished Interval

An interval that is one-half step smaller than perfect or minor

Augmented Interval

An interval that is one-half step larger than major or perfect

Enharmonic Intervals

They sound the same but are spelled differently and function differently

Doubly Diminished Interval

When a minor or perfect interval is made one whole step smaller without changing the letter names of the pitches

Doubly Augmented Interval

When a major or perfect interval is made one whole step larger without changing the letter names of the pitches

Consonant Interval

Stable

Dissonant Interval

Unstable, the impression of activity or tension

Major Scale

Created using a pattern for whole and half steps

The Circle of Fifths

Demonstrates the relationship of the tonal centers to each other

Key Signature

A form of shorthand that dispenses with the writing of accidentals (sharps and flats) for the notes affected by the pattern

Common Time

Represented by a lowercase c, it is used to represent 4/4

Alla Breve (Cut Time)

Designated by a c with a line going through, is a substitute of 2/2

Asymmetrical Meters

Meters that have beat units of unequal length

Meter

The organization of musical time into recurring patterns of strong and weak beats

Duple (Strong Weak)

Two beats per measure

Triple (Strong Weak Weak)

Three beats per measure

Quadruple (Strong Weak Less Strong Weak)

Four beats per measure

Downbeat

The first beat of the measure

Anacrusis

Songs that begin with one or more notes that precede the first full measure

Syncopation

The rhythmic displacement of the expected strong beat created by using dots, rests, ties, accent marks, rhythm, and dynamics

Hemiola

A special type of syncopation where the bead is temporarily regrouped into twos

Cross-Rhythm

Metric device where the rhythmic relation of three notes occurs in the time of two

Note Head

Body of the note

Stem

Part of a note that is common to all note types shorter in duration than the whole note

Flag

Part of the note that is common to all note types shorter in duration than a quarter note

Bar Line

The vertical line that divides the staff into measures

Measure

The unit of space between the bar lines

Double Bar Line

Two lines that signal the end of a section of music

Final Bar Line

Indicates the end of the piece or composition

Tempo

The speed of the beat

Absolute Dynamics

Refers to the specific volume level indicated by the symbol or word

Relative Dynamics

Refers to the change in volume level from one symbol or word to another

Articulation

The way in which notes are played or sung

Dynamics

The volume or intensity of a musical performance.