TEXES Core subjects & Generalist EC-6 Review Music

measure

the space between two line bars (vertical) on the staff

time signature

A symbol looking like a fraction indicating the type of meter and the unit of beat

time signature top number

tells how many beats in a measure (between two vertical lines on a staff)

time signature bottom number

tells what type of note gets the beat

dynamics

markings for showing how loud or soft to play a particular note or section

dynamics: pianissimo

very soft

dynamics: piano

soft

dynamics: mezzo piano

medium soft

dynamics: mezzo forte (mf)

medium loud

dynamics: forte

loud

dynamics: fortissimo

very loud

tempo

the speed of the music

tempo: adagio

very slow and somber

tempo: andante

walking tempo

tempo: allegro

fast

tempo: presto

very fast

rhythm

the way notes and rests are put together to make sound and or silence

tone

Characteristic sound quality; the sound an instrument, voice or percussion makes.

(To stress tone to 1st graders have them pick instruments to represent characters in a familiar fairy tale like the 3 Billy Goats Gruff; this uses their schema from language arts to help students "hear" the different sounds.). To hear differences in instruments they should be played alone NOT in unison or all together.

pitch

How high or low a sound is. For students to hear pitch, have them echo the teacher's voice singing a high, then a low, note. It is easier for students to learn pitch with a human voice as a model rather than an instrument or recording.

sharp (#)

a musical symbol that raises a pitch by a half step

flat (b)

a musical symbol that lowers a pitch by a half step

meter

how the beat of the music is divided; number of beats per bar measured by the time signature

whole note

gets 4 beats

half note

each gets 2 beats

quarter note

each gets 1 beat; may be called the steady beat (used by young children to accompany singing/music by clapping or playing a rhythm instrument)

eighth note

each gets 1/2 a beat

beat

Pulse; a continuous, periodic pulse that underlies music and can be used to clap along to the music; students clap or play instruments in unison to practice keeping a steady beat

treble clef

🎼

A clef that shows that written notes are high in pitch;

symbol that indicates higher voices and instruments

treble clef lines

EGBDF

Every good boy does fine

treble clef spaces

FACE

bass clef lines

GBDFA

Good bass does fine always

bass clef spaces

ACEG (all cows eat grass)

clef

Musical symbol used to indicate pitch of written notes

staff

set of five lines and four spaces on which musical notes are written, with each note representing a different musical pitch

round

song in which a second voice exactly imitates a leading voice at different places in the melody

partner songs

singing two different songs at the same time;

two or more different songs that share an identical harmonic structure and are performed at the same time; different melodies that can be sung together

lullaby

a quiet song that lulls a child to sleep

game song

Game songs are used throughout the world and by different cultures for play and enjoyment. Game songs often use movement and dance.

"The Old Chisolm Trail"

folk song that promotes the heritage of Texas;

Was written about the Chisholm trail which was used by ranchers to drive cattle to rail yards in Kansas during the 19th century (1800s)

Cotton-Eyed Joe

Folk song/Dance from Deep South of US

"Casey Jones"

song from North Mid-West about legendary railroad engineer Casey Jones; died by staying on his train to bring to a stop when rail cars were blocking track he was on; his train crashed into cars but Casey was able to break his train until,the impact thus saving the lives of others

"Sweet Betsy From Pike"

American ballad about troubles of pioneer named Betsy in California Gold Rush (1850s)

dynamics: fp

loudly then quiet

dynamics: dim.

increasingly more quietly

dynamics: cresc.

play increasingly louder

Timbre

THE CHARACTERISTIC QUALITY OF SOUND PRODUCED BY A PARTICULAR INSTRUMENT OR VOICE; TONE COLOR

Voice intonation

The pitch, speed, fluidity, and sounds of the voice when a person speaks; the way a person says words.

grand staff

Treble and Bass clef read together