Musical Notation Terminology

beat pulse, or count. Beat is the basic unit of time in music.

Common time grouping beats in sets of FOUR. All notes and rests are named after how they fit in common time (a “whole note” takes up the whole four beats) eighth note (read as “ti”). One half beat of sound

2 eighth notes (read as “ti-ti”). One beat of two equal sounds

quarter note (read as “ta”). One beat of sound  half note (read as “ta-a”). Two beats of sound

eighth rest (read like a silent “ti”). Half beat of silence

whole note (read as “ta-a-a-a”). Four beats of sound  quarter rest (read like a silent “ta”). A beat of silence

half rest (read like a silent “ta-a”). Two beats of silence

whole rest (read like a silent “ta-a-a-a”). Four beats of silence

4 sixteenth notes (ti-ri ti-ri). Four equal sounds in one beat.

. dotted quarter / eighth notes (tai-ti). 1 ½ beats of sound + ½ beat of sound

. eighth / dotted quarter notes (ti-tai). ½ beat of sound + 1 ½ beats of sound

. dotted half note (ta-a-a). Three beats of sound.  

GRAND STAFF combined G–clef and F–clef on 2 sets of staves

G–CLEF (Treble clef) circles the “g” (2nd) line twice on the staff

F–CLEF (Bass clef) marks the “f” (4th) line with dots

Musical Notation Terminology

# (sharp) - raises the pitch one half step

(flat) - lowers the pitch one half step

(natural) – cancels an accidental (sharp or flat), in the measure or the key signature staff - the 5 lines and 4 spaces upon which musical notes are written

repeat signs - do all the material between the dots again

repeat sign - do everything from the beginning again

bar line - vertical line drawn between notes to group them by beats

double bar line - two vertical lines drawn at the end of a song or section