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:
Elements which can be communicated accurately are:
- Pitches
- Harmony
- Text (lyrics)
- Technical assistance
- Rhythm
- Style/mood
- Silences
- Speed
- Dynamics (loud/soft)
- Instrumentation (voices/instruments)
- Definition: Pitch refers to the highness or lowness of a sound, and is a function of the frequency of vibration of sound waves.
- Pitches are generally indicated by the use of notes on a musical staff.
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3. Harmony is two or more pitches sounding simultaneously.
B. Rhythm
- Definition: rhythm is the movement or flow of music through time, generally characterized by its relationship to recurring pulse (or beat).
- Rhythm is generally notated using a series of symbols showing the relative lenght of one sound to another.
- Rhythmic notation will be covered in detail in lesson two (2).
- 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:,
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
- 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)
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
- 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).
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
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)
- 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
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)
- I a composition is to be sung or spoken, the text is generally provided.
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
- An important aspect of music. Silence is generally indicated by what is called "rests".
H. Instrumentation
- Instrumentation refers to the choice of instruments or voices to be used.
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
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