Dynamics
the volume of sound, the loudness or softness of a musical passage
Forte
(f) loud
Mezzo forte
(mp) medium soft
Fortissimo
(ff) very loud
Piano
(p) soft
Mezzo piano
(mp) medium soft
Pianissimo
(pp) very soft
Crescendo
(<) to gradually get louder
Decrescendo
(>) to gradually get softer
Tempo
how fast or slow; the speed of the music
A tempo
a return to the preceding rate of speed
Ritardando
the gradual slowing of tempo; abbreviated as rit; also called ritard
Accelerando
a gradual increase in tempo; growing gradually faster
Largo
very slow
Grave
slow and sad
Moderato
moderate tempo or medium tempo
Andante
moderately slow, walking tempo
Allegro
fast tempo, quick
Quarter note
1 beat
Half note
2 beats
Dotted half note
3 beats
Eighth note
1/2 beat
Whole note
4 beats
Quarter rest
1 beat
Half rest
2 beats
Whole rest
4 beats
Eighth rest
1/2 beat
Staff
make up of 5 lines and 4 spaces
Measures
are divided by the bar lines
Bar line
divided the staff into measures
Double bar line
indicates the end of the music
Time signature
how many beats in a measure
4/4 time
4 beats
3/4 time
3 beats
2/4 time
2/4 time
Lines in treble clef
egbdf
(every good boy deserves fudge)
Spaces in treble clef
face
(face)
Lines in bass clef
aceg
(all cars eat gas)
Spaces in treble clef
gbdfa
(go bring diamonds from africa)
Fermata
to hold a note longer than its actual value