Grade 6 Vocab

Time Signature

top number = how many beats per measure
bottom number = what kind of note gets one beat

Common Time

same as 4/4 time signature

Whole Note

gets 4 beats in 4/4 time

Whole Rest

gets 4 beats in 4/4 time

Dotted Half Note

gets 3 beats in 4/4 time

Half Note

gets 2 beats in 4/4 time

Half Rest

gets 2 beats in 4/4 time

Dotted Quarter Note

gets 1 1/2 beats in 4/4 time

Quarter Note

gets 1 beat in 4/4 time

Quarter Rest

gets 1 beat in 4/4 time

Eighth Note

EACH eighth note gets 1/2 beat in 4/4 time

Eighth Rest

gets 1/2 beat in 4/4 time

Extended Rests (or “Multi-Measure” Rests)

tells how many MEASURES of rest there are

Tie

a curved line that connects notes of the SAME pitch; hold for the total combined note value

Accent

emphasize the note (articulation)

Accidental

a sign indicating that the note does not follow the key signature

Bar Line

separates the music into measures

Bass Clef

the lower clef of the grand staff

Breath Mark

breathe here

Chromatic

music written with half-step movement; look for passages containing many accidentals

Crescendo

get gradually louder (dynamics)

Da Capo al Fine (D.C. al Fine)

go back to the beginning of the piece and play until the "Fine"

Decrescendo

get gradually softer (dynamics)

Double Bar Line

separates two sections or indicates the end of a piece of music

Embouchure

the way a player forms his/her mouth in order to play a brass or woodwind instrument

Enharmonic

two notes that sound the same and are fingered the same, but look different on the staff

Fermata

hold the note or rest longer than usual or until the conductor signals

First & Second Endings

Play the 1st ending the first time, repeat the section of music and play the 2nd ending the second time

Flat

lowers the pitch 1/2 step

Forte

loud or strong (dynamics)

Key Signature

is written at the beginning of each line and tells which notes are sharp, flat, & natural in a piece of music

Measure

the space between bar lines

Mezzo Forte

medium loud (dynamics)

Mezzo Piano

medium soft (dynamics)

Natural

cancels a flat or a sharp

Phrase

a musical sentence

Piano

soft (dynamics)

Pick-Up Notes

a note (or notes) that lead into a complete measure

Repeat Measure Sign (percussion)

play the previous measure again

Repeat Sign

repeat back to the beginning or back to the forward repeat sign

Sharp

raises the pitch 1/2 step

Simile

play the next measures in the same way as previously marked (same articulation or expression marking)

Slur

a curved line that connects notes of DIFFERENT pitches; tongue only the first note in a slur (articulation)

Staccato

play the note separated (articulation)

Staff

5 lines and 4 spaces

Tonguing

when the player starts the note by touching his/her tongue to the reed or roof of the mouth (articulation)

Treble Clef

the upper clef of the grand staff