Music Theory Fundamentals Review

Staff and Notation Basics

• The Staff: Consists of $5$ lines and $4$ spaces.
• Clefs:
  • Treble Clef: Known as the "G Clef."
  • Bass Clef: Known as the "F Clef."
  • Alto Clef: Known as the "C Clef."
• Structural Symbols:
  • Barline: Vertical lines dividing the staff into measures.
  • Double Bar Line: Indicates the "end" or "fine."
  • Fermata: Indicates a "hold" or "pause."
  • Ledger Line: Small lines used for notes above or below the staff.

Rhythm and Time Signatures

• Note and Rest Values:
  • Whole note/rest: $4$ beats.
  • Half note/rest: $2$ beats.
  • Quarter note/rest: $1$ beat.
  • Eighth note/rest: $1/2$ beat.
  • 16th note/rest: $1/4$ beat.
• Time Signatures:
  • Top number: Indicates how many beats per measure.
  • Bottom number: Indicates what note value gets the beat (e.g., $4 = \text{Quarter note}$, $8 = \text{8th note}$).
  • Common examples: $\frac{4}{4}$, $\frac{3}{4}$, $\frac{2}{4}$, $\frac{6}{8}$.

Articulations and Dynamics

• Articulations:
  • Staccato: "Detached."
  • Accent: "Strong tone."
  • Marcato: "Marked."
  • Slur: "Connected" (no rearticulation, one bow movement).
• Dynamics (Volume):
  • $ppp$ (Pianissimo): Very soft.
  • $pp$, $p$ (Piano), $mp$ (Mezzo Piano): Soft range.
  • $mf$ (Mezzo Forte), $f$ (Forte), $ff$ (Fortissimo), $fff$: Strong range.
  • $sfz$ (Sforzando piano): Sudden strong emphasis.
  • Crescendo: Increase volume.
  • Decrescendo / Diminuendo: Decrease volume.

Intervals and Scales

• Definitions:
  • Music: The art of organized sound in time.
  • Interval: The space between two notes.
• Scale Structures:
  • Major Scale: $8$ notes; identified in Roman numerals as $I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii^{\circ}$.
  • Chromatic Scale: $12$ notes; uses sharps ($\#$) for ascending and flats ($b$) for descending.
• Accidentals:
  • Sharp ($\#$): Up $1/2$ step.
  • Flat ($b$): Down $1/2$ step.
  • Natural: Cancels a sharp or flat.
• Standard Intervals: $M2, M3, P4, P5, M6, M7, P8$ (octave).

Tempo

• Markings:
  • Lento: Slow.
  • Adagio: Slow (with expression).
  • Andante: Walking pace.
  • Moderato: Moderately.
  • Allegro: Fast.
  • Presto: Exceptionally fast.
• Changes:
  • Ritardando (rit.): Gradually slow down.
  • Accelerando (accel.): Gradually speed up.
• BPM: Beats per minute (e.g., $120 \, \text{BPM}$ is "march tempo").

Chord Theory

• Major Chord: Built as $M3$ ($4$ half steps) + $m3$.
• Minor Chord: Built as $m3$ ($3$ half steps) + $M3$.
• Diminished Chord: Two stacked minor $3rds$.
• Chord Progression: Common example is $I-vi-IV-V$ ($C-Am-F-G$ in C major).

Solfege and Vocalization

• Purpose: Mnemonic system for pitches/intervals used in sight-singing and ear training.
• Major Scale: Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do.
• Minor Scale: Lowered $3rd$, $6th$, and $7th$ (do, re, me, fa, sol, le, te, do).
• Vowel Shapes: Ah, eh, ee, oh, oo.
• Dipthong: A sound formed by two vowels (e.g., "I" = "A and E"). In singing, emphasize the "Ah."