Music Pre-Theroy - Lesson #2

Rhythm and Rhythmic Notation

I. Rhythm is most often expressed in a standardized system consisting of notes in measures. The value of each note is dependent upon a time signature. Although these three (3) elements (note values, measures, and time signatures) are all found in most music, they are not found in all music.
For some of you, these terms may sound foreign. Below I have tried to explain them, ok? So lets get started.

A. Note values:

1. The relative length of sounds (and silences) to each other is shown below:

To be continued:

Music Pre-Theroy - Lesson #1

Music Notation Overview

How to read Music

(Note from sungmanitu),

I know a lot of this information in this first lesson may seem rather dull, but its an overview of the whole and it gives most of the terms you will find on printed sheet music. In the next lesson we'll be working on notes and rests and how they work. Before you know it you'll be making sense out of all of those lines, dots, and strange looking symbols. So bear with me on this first lesson and we'll be past all this soon and on into some interesting stuff. Now for those only interested in TAB, we'll be working on that right along side of this so stick with me and you'll be learning both. You may only find that song on regular sheet music and you'll still be able to learn it! My hopes is to enlighten all who want to learn to read music... Enjoy!

Printed music notation is an efficient, accurate way to communicate a composer's (or arranger's) ideas.

Elements which can be communicated accurately are:

• Pitches
• Harmony
• Text (lyrics)
• Technical assistance
• Rhythm
• Style/mood
• Silences
• Speed
• Dynamics (loud/soft)
• Instrumentation (voices/instruments)

A. Pitches

1. Definition: Pitch refers to the highness or lowness of a sound, and is a function of the frequency of vibration of sound waves.
2. Pitches are generally indicated by the use of notes on a musical staff.

I. examples of musical notes:

II. a music staff consists of five (5) lines and four (4) spaces:

______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________

3. Harmony is two or more pitches sounding simultaneously.

B. Rhythm

1. Definition: rhythm is the movement or flow of music through time, generally characterized by its relationship to recurring pulse (or beat).
2. Rhythm is generally notated using a series of symbols showing the relative lenght of one sound to another.
3. Rhythmic notation will be covered in detail in lesson two (2).

C. Tempo (speed)

1. The tempo of a piece of music can be indicated by a simple word (such as "fast") at the beginning or by complex statements such as "at a moderate walking tempo:,

I. Italian is the most common language for musical direstions.
II. Common Italian terms to indicate tempo include:

• Adagio - very slow
• Largo - slow
• Lento - somewhat slow
• Andante - moderately slow
• Moderato - medium slow
• Allegretto - somewhat lively
• Allegro - lively
• Vivace - fast
• Presto - very fast

III. Other terms are used to indicate changes in speed: common examples include:

• Accelerando (accel.) - gradually becoming faster.
• Rallentando (rall.) Ritardando (rit, ritard) - gradually become slower
• Piu Mosso - "more motion" - suddenly increase speed.
• Meno Mosso - "less motion" - suddenly decrease speed.
• a tempo - return to original temp
• morendo - "dying" - gradually slowing to nothing (also refers to volume)

2. Tempo can also be indicated by the use of metronome markings.
Metronome markings indicate how many times a minute a certain type of note occurs.

I. If it has a quarter note equals 60 then it means that the
music should played at sixty (60) quarter notes per minute


D. Style/Mood

1. The style or mood of a piece is sometimes indicated by simple words (cadly, majestically, jazz swing). It can also be indicated by complex phrases (often in Italian).
   

Example: Si deve suonare tutto questo pezzo delicatissimamente e senza sordino
Translation: this whole piece must be played very delicately and with pedal.

2. Common Italian terms indicate style/mood includes:

• Apassionata - feverntly
• Dolce - sweetly
• Religioso - reverently
• Cantabile - singingly
• Leggiero - lightly
• Calmato - quietly

I. Two very common stylistic techniques can be indicated either by words or notation marks:

Staccato - "detached" - indicated either by the word "Staccato" or by dots above.
or below the note heads.

Legato: - "connected" - indicated either by the word "Legato" or by a
"Slur" connecting the notes. It will have a large "U" connecting the notes that are slurred.
An example of this is shown in section "F" under Text (lyrics) below.

E. Dynamics (loud/soft)

1. Dynamics are generally expressed by abbreviations or Italian terms:

• p (piano) - soft
• mp (mezzo piano) - medium soft
• pp (pianissimo) - very soft
• ppp (piano-pianissmo) - very, very soft
• sp (suito piano) - suddenly soft
• f (forte) - slightly loud
• mf (mezzo forte) - medium loud
• ff ( fortissmo) - very loud
• fff (forte-fortissmo) - very, very loud
• sfz (sforzando) - suddenly full volume

2. Accents indicate that a certain sound should be louder than its neighboring notes.
They may be indicated by underscores or greater-than signs

3. Gradual changes in dynamics can be indicated graphically with long "Greater-than" ( > )
signs (becoming softer) or long "Less-than" signs ( < ) (becoming louder).

It can also be indicated by standard Italian terms:

• Crescendo (cres.) - becoming louder
• Diminuendo (dimin. Or dim.) - becoming softer
• a niente - fading away to nothing
• poco - little
• poco a poco - little by little

Example: poco a poco crescendo

Translation: becoming louder little by little

F. Text (lyrics)

1. I a composition is to be sung or spoken, the text is generally provided.

I. Words are divided into syllables with each syllable printed under (or over) the notes that
to which it is to be sung.

II. "Sung" words are generally indicated by notes on a staff:



III. "Spoken" words are generally indicated by rhythm only:




G. Silences

1. An important aspect of music. Silence is generally indicated by what is called "rests".

H. Instrumentation

1. Instrumentation refers to the choice of instruments or voices to be used.

I. The human voice is indicated by giving the range of voice to sing:

a. Women's voice range: S soprano, M mezzo soprano, A alto (contralto)

b. Men's voice range: T tenor, B baritone, B bass

"SATB" means a mixed choir of men's and women's voices are to be used.
"TTBB" means a four part men's choir (tenor I, tenor II, baritone, and bass)

2. other instruments are usually indicated by abbreviations:

• Pno - piano
• Bass - bass guitar (or contrabass violin)
• Drm - drums
• Perc - percussion
• Cl - clarinet
• Gtr - guitar
• Hp - harp
• Vc - cello
• Fl - flute
• Pc - piccolo
• Ob - oboe
• Tp - trumpet
• Tb - trombone
• Sx - saxophone
• Vn - violin

3. Keyboard parts are often indicated by paring two staves with a brace.


Technical Assistance
1. A composer (or arranger) can give special instructions to a performer that are peculiar to the instrument beind used.

Examples:

• Voice-breath marks (')
• Piano-fingering, pedal markings, RH, LH
• Guitar-fingering, picking patterns (p i m a) Harmonics
• Violin-bowings, mute
• Organ- manual indications (Gr., Sw.). pedalings
  

Ok, this concludes the first lesson. There are five (5) lessons in pre-theory and four (4) lessons in theory. By the time we're done you will be able to read and write music on TAB or on regular sheet music. I wish you luck and plan on starting lesson two(2) soon. There will also be homework for you to do so you can apply what you've learned. See you next time...

Sungmanitu