Glossary
Accidentals
Symbols (sharps, flats, and naturals) that temporarily alter the pitch of a note within a specific measure.
Example:
When sight-reading, always pay close attention to accidentals as they change the notes you play.
Alto Clef
A C-clef where middle C is placed on the third line of the staff, commonly used by the viola.
Example:
The viola often reads music in the alto clef, which centers middle C on the middle line.
Bar Lines
Vertical lines that divide the musical staff into measures, helping to organize the music visually.
Example:
A double bar line at the end of a piece indicates its conclusion.
Bass Clef
A clef used for lower-pitched instruments and voices, with its two dots indicating the F below middle C.
Example:
The tuba plays notes primarily in the bass clef.
Enharmonic Equivalents
Notes that sound identical in pitch but are spelled differently (e.g., C♯ and D♭).
Example:
Fsharp and Gflat are enharmonic equivalents because they represent the same pitch on a piano keyboard.
Flat (♭)
An accidental that lowers the pitch of a note by a half step.
Example:
Playing a Bflat means you play the note a half step lower than B natural.
Grand Staff
The combination of the treble clef and bass clef staffs, used to accommodate a wide range of musical notes, particularly for instruments like the piano.
Example:
A piano piece is typically written on the grand staff to accommodate its wide range of notes.
Interval
The distance in pitch between two notes, measured by the number of scale steps between them.
Example:
The distance between C and G is a perfect fifth interval.
Ledger Lines
Short lines extending above or below the staff to accommodate notes that fall outside its standard five-line range.
Example:
To write a very high C for a soprano, you would use several ledger lines above the treble staff.
Measures
Segments of music on the staff, containing a specific number of beats as determined by the time signature.
Example:
In 4/4 time, each measure contains four quarter-note beats.
Melody
A linear sequence of musical notes that is perceived as a single entity, often characterized by its rhythm and contour.
Example:
The main tune of a song, like 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,' is its melody.
Natural (♮)
An accidental that cancels a previously applied sharp or flat, restoring the note to its original pitch.
Example:
After a G sharp, a G natural sign would indicate to play the G without alteration.
Note Names
The letters A through G that represent specific pitches on the musical staff, cycling repeatedly after G.
Example:
Knowing your note names helps you quickly identify that the space above the middle line in treble clef is A.
Relative Pitch
The ability to identify or sing a given musical note by its relationship to a previously heard note, rather than its absolute pitch.
Example:
Developing strong relative pitch allows you to recognize a major third or a perfect fifth just by hearing the two notes.
Sharp (♯)
An accidental that raises the pitch of a note by a half step.
Example:
If you see an Fsharp, you play the note a half step higher than F natural.
Tenor Clef
A C-clef where middle C is placed on the fourth line of the staff, often used for higher passages in instruments like the cello or bassoon.
Example:
A cellist might switch to tenor clef when playing a particularly high melodic line.
Treble Clef
A clef used for higher-pitched instruments and voices, with its curl indicating the G above middle C.
Example:
A flute part is almost always written in the treble clef.