Understanding Basic Music Theory © Catherine Schmidt-Jones Printing History February 2015: Adopted by Open Textbooks System This work is licensed under a Creative Commons-ShareAlike 4.0 International License Original source: CONNEXIONS http://cnx.org/content/col10363/1.3/ Contents Preface .............................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1 Notation ........................................................................................................3 1.1 Pitch .....................................................................................................................................3 1.1.1 The Staff....................................................................................................................3 1.1.1.1 The Staff ........................................................................................................3 1.1.1.2 Groups of staves ..........................................................................................4 1.1.2 Clef ...........................................................................................................................6 1.1.2.1 Treble Clef and Bass Clef.............................................................................6 1.1.2.2 Memorizing the Notes in Bass and Treble Clef ........................................6 1.1.2.3 Moveable Clefs .............................................................................................8 1.1.2.4 Why use different clefs? ..............................................................................9 1.1.3 Pitch: Sharp, Flat, and Natural Notes..................................................................11 1.1.4 Key Signature .........................................................................................................14 Example ..................................................................................................................16 1.1.5 Enharmonic Spelling ............................................................................................17 1.1.5.1 Enharmonic Notes .....................................................................................17 1.1.5.2 Enharmonic Keys and Scales ....................................................................19 1.1.5.3 Enharmonic Intervals and Chords ...........................................................21 1.1.5.4 Enharmonic Spellings and Equal Temperament ....................................21 1.2 Time ...................................................................................................................................22 1.2.1 Duration: Note Lengths in Written Music ..........................................................22 1.2.1.1 The Shape of a Note ..................................................................................22 1.2.1.2 The Length of a Note .................................................................................23 Example ..........................................................................................................25 Example ..........................................................................................................26 1.2.1.3 More about Stems .....................................................................................26 1.2.2 Duration: Rest Length...........................................................................................27 1.2.3 Time Signature.......................................................................................................28 1.2.3.1 Beats and Measures ..................................................................................28 Example ..........................................................................................................29 1.2.3.2 Meter: Reading Time Signatures ..............................................................29 Example ..........................................................................................................30 1.2.3.3 Counting and Conducting .........................................................................31 1.2.4 Meter ......................................................................................................................32 1.2.4.1 What is Meter?............................................................................................32 1.2.4.2 Classifying Meters ......................................................................................33 1.2.4.3 Recognizing Meters....................................................................................34 1.2.5 Pickup Notes and Measures ...............................................................................34 1.2.5.1 Pickup Measures ........................................................................................34 1.2.5.2 Pickup Notes...............................................................................................35 1.2.6 Dots, Ties, and Borrowed Divisions.....................................................................36 1.2.6.1 Dotted Notes ..............................................................................................36 1.2.6.2 Tied Notes ...................................................................................................37 1.2.6.3 Borrowed Divisions....................................................................................38 1.2.7 Syncopation ...........................................................................................................39 1.2.8 Tempo ....................................................................................................................41 1.2.8.1 Metronome Markings................................................................................41 1.2.8.2 Tempo Terms..............................................................................................42 1.2.8.3 Gradual Tempo Changes...........................................................................43 1.2.8.4 Repeats and Other Musical Road Map Signs..........................................44 Example ..........................................................................................................47 1.3 Style ...................................................................................................................................47 1.3.1 Dynamics and Accents .........................................................................................47 1.3.1.1 Dynamics.....................................................................................................47 1.3.1.2 Accents ........................................................................................................49 1.3.2 Articulation ............................................................................................................50 1.3.2.1 What is Articulation? ..................................................................................50 1.3.2.2 Performing Articulations ...........................................................................50 1.3.2.3 Common Articulations...............................................................................51 1.4 Solutions to Exercises in Chapter 1 ................................................................................54 Chapter 2 Definitions ..................................................................................................60 2.1 Rhythm...............................................................................................................................60 2.2 Timbre................................................................................................................................61 2.3 Melody ..............................................................................................................................62 2.3.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................62 2.3.2 The Shape or Contour of a Melody .....................................................................63 2.3.3 Melodic Motion......................................................................................................63 2.3.4 Melodic Phrases ....................................................................................................64 2.3.5 Motif........................................................................................................................66 2.3.6 Melodies in Counterpoint.....................................................................................67 2.3.7 Themes ...................................................................................................................67 2.3.8 Suggestions for Presenting these Concepts to Children ..................................68 2.4 Texture ..............................................................................................................................68 2.4.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................68 2.4.2 Terms that Describe Texture ..............................................................................69 2.4.2.1 Monophonic................................................................................................69 2.4.2.2 Homophonic ...............................................................................................69 2.4.2.3 Polyphonic...................................................................................................70 2.4.2.4