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MU Music Symbols
Common music symbols and terms
Term | Description |
---|---|
Treble Clef | The staff that showes notes above middle C. The notes on the lines are E G B D F ( Every Good Boy Deserves Fun). The notes on the spaces are F A C E (the word FACE). |
Bass Clef | The staff that showes notes below middle C. The notes on the lines are G B D F A (Good Boys Don't Fight Anyone). The notes on the spaces are A C E G (All Cows Eat Grass). |
Staff | A set of 5 lines and 4 spaces. |
Semibreve | A 4 beat note. |
Minim | A 2 beat note. |
Crotchet | A 1 beat note. |
Quaver | A 1/2 beat note. |
Semiquaver | A 1/4 beat note. |
Minim Rest | No note for 2 beats. |
Crotchet Rest | No note for 1 beat. |
Quaver Rest | No note for a 1/2 beat. |
Semiquaver Rest | No note for a 1/4 beat. |
Flat | Lowers the pitch of the note by a semi-tone. |
Sharp | Raises the pitch of a note by a semi-tone. |
Natural | Cancels out pervious sharps or flats. |
Every Good Boy Deserves Fruit | A sentence to help remember the lines of a treble clef staf. From the bottom line E, G, B, D, F. |
FACE | An acronym to help remember the spaces of a treble clef staf. From the bottom space F, A, C, E. |
Good Boys Deserve Food Always | A sentence to help remember the lines of a bass clef staf. From the bottom line G, B, D, F, A. |
All Cows Eat Grass | A sentence to help remember the spaces of a bass clef staf. From the bottom space A, C, E, G. |
Dotted Note | A dot beside a note increases the notes value by half its original value. For example a dotted minim has a value of 3 beats, a dotted crotchet has a value of 1 1/2 beats. |
Repeats | Usually appear in pairs, when you reach the second repeat symbol go back to the first repeat symbol. If there is just one repeat symbol, go back to the beginning. |
Time Signatures | Two numbers, one on top of the other, usually at the beginning of a piece of music. The top number indicates the number of beats per bar, the bottom number indicates the note value per beat (semibreve = 1, minium = 2, crotchet = 4, quaver = 8). |
Pianissimo | A dynamic that means very soft. |
Piano | A dynamic that means soft. |
Mezzo Piano | A dynamic that means moderately soft. |
Mezzo Forte | A dynamic that means moderately loud. |
Forte | A dynamic that means loud. |
Fortissimo | A dynamic that means very loud. |
Crescendo | Means to gradually become louder. |
Decrescendo | Means to gradually become softer. Is also knowen as diminuendo. |
Diminuendo | Means to gradually become softer. Is also knowen as decrescendo. |
Staccato | Showen as a dot above or below a note. The note is to be short and detatched. |
Accent | Showen as a sideways v above or below a note. The note is louder. |
Tenuto | Showen as a dash above or below a note. Hold the note for its full value. |
Fermata | Also knowen as a pause. Hold the note for longer then its value. |