Information Sheets for Proficiency Levels One through Five NAME: Information Sheets for Written Proficiency Levels One through Five

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1 NAME: Information Sheets for Written Proficiency You will find the answers to any questions asked in the Proficiency Levels I- V included somewhere in these pages. Should you need further help, see your teacher. Scales: In the playing sections of the proficiency system, you will be asked to perform two kinds of scales from memory: the major scale and the chromatic scale (one which starts on any note and goes up or down in half- steps). Should you want more specific information on what makes a major scale sound the way it does (it s constructed pattern) see your instructor you will be asked this information until the last several levels of the written tests. Concert Pitch or Concert Key: These are the sound or the key in which the piano plays, the organ plays, the sounds we sing and sounds or key in which all of the stringed instruments play (violin, viola, cello, double bass, guitar, etc.). Of the band instruments we normally use, the flute, oboe, bassoon, trombone, bass clef baritone, tuba, timpani, and marimba play in this key. In other words, when they play the note C, it sounds like an actual C, just like it does on the piano. The following instruments are B instruments, which means that when they play the note C, they sound like the note B on the piano: clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, trumpet, and treble clef baritone. The music for these must be written one step higher than the piano (this is called transposing and these are transposing instruments) in order for them to produce the same sound. The alto saxophone, alto clarinet, and baritone saxophone ( E instruments) must transpose also, since their C sounds six notes lower than the piano, and the French horn ( F Instrument) sounds five notes lower. If you play one of these transposing instruments, you must know what to do for your instrument in order to play in concert keys, scales, etc. Sigh Read: To play music for the first time that you have not played before Time or Meter Signatures: The top number of a time signature will always tell you one thing only how many counts or beats there will be in every measure (between bar lines). The bottom number will always tell you how many beats a whole not receives. Pg. 1 of 7

2 Examples: 4 Top number tells you that there will be four counts in each measure. 4 Bottom number tells you that the whole note gets 4 beats (half note=2, quarter=1, etc) 3 Top number: 3 counts per measure 8 Bottom number: whole note gets 8 counts (half note =4, quarter note=2, eighth note = 1, dotted quarter = 3) 2 Top number: Two counts per measure 16 Bottom Number: whole note gets 16 counts (half note=8, quarter =4, eighth=2, sixteenth=1, etc.) Key Signatures: Found at the beginning of the music. These are the sharps and flats that will affect all of the notes of that name throughout the piece (Do not confuse key signature with meter or time signature ). See also page 6. Sharps and Flats: A Sharp raises a note in pitch one half step. A flat lowers a note or pitch one half step. (A double sharp raises a note two half steps, and a double flat lowers a note two half steps). You very seldom see either double sharps or double flats. Ties and Slurs: A tie is a curved line connecting two or more notes, which have the same pitch sound. The notes are played as one note that receives the combined number of counts. A slur is a curved line that connects notes that are of different pitch; you don t tongue the second note here either, but the pitch (or sound) will change. Articulation: Refers to the tonguing and slurring patterns called for in music. Neither the word articulation not any of the following have to do with tempo (speed). Legato- a kind of articulation, which means to play very smoothly; connected Staccato- means to play in a detached style (spaces between notes) Marcato- means marked or with emphasis, to accent or to tongue hard Dynamics: Volume, or changes in volume. Examples of dynamics: Pianissimo (pp)- very soft softest possible volume with a good sound Piano (p)- soft Mezzo- Piano (mp)- medium soft ( mezzo means medium or half) Mezzo- Forte (mƒ)- medium loud Forte (ƒ)- Loud Fortissimo (ƒƒ)- Very Loud Loudest possible volume with a good sound Crescendo- This word means to grow louder. It can be from soft to loud, from medium loud to very loud, or from very soft to medium soft, etc. The Pg. 2 of 7

3 abbreviation for this word is Cresc. and either of these words mean the same as the Crescendo sign: Diminuendo- this word means the opposite from Crescendo; in fact, it is often called Decrescendo instead both mean the same thing. It comes from the word meaning diminish or get smaller. The abbreviations might be dim. or Decresc. and the symbol: Tempo: A word meaning speed or velocity. The following list contains some of the most frequently used words that we see in music to define what the speed should be. These words do not tell you how loud to play, or how to tongue, etc. They are used in all kinds of music: A Tempo- sometimes written as Tempo One or Tempo Primo, which mean the same thing. These words will be found in you music after a tempo change Accelerando- to speed up the present tempo gradually; faster Adagio- very slowly and broadly; similar to the term Largo Agitato- aggressive, agitated style; at a rapid speed Allegretto- light and moderately fast; slightly slower than Allegro Allargando- to slow down and play the notes more broadly (more connected) Allegro- Fast, lively, quick speed (not quite as fast as Presto or Vivace) Andante- average, comfortably slow tempo (sometimes referred to as walking speed ) Brillante- play in a brilliant flashy style Fermata- hold the note longer than the usual value Grandioso- grand and noble style Largo- very slow and broadly played, large Lento- slowly (and usually smoothly played) Maestoso- majestic; noble and grand Moderato- moderate or medium speed; average Presto- very rapid speed; fast Ritard- to slow down gradually (same as rallentando or ritardando) abbreviation: rit. General Terms and Symbols: Accidental- any sharp, natural, or flat used in a piece of music, provided that it is not found in the key signature. (If you were playing something that had two flats in the key signature and you came across a B- natural, that note would be called an accidental.) Articulation- tonguing and slurring; how you space or connect the notes played Bar Lines- those lines used to divide the music staff into parts, or measures Bass- low Chromatic- in half steps; a chromatic scale goes up or down in half steps Coda- short section of music added at the end of the regular part. Cues- small notes indicating some other instrument part; not your regular part Pg. 3 of 7

4 Da Capo- go back to the beginning (abbreviation- D.C.) Da Capo al Coda- go back to the beginning and play to the coda sign ( you reach the coda sign, skip down to the coda section at the end. (Abbreviation D.C. al Coda) Da Capo al Fine- go back to the beginning and play to the word fine. (Abbreviation- D.C. al Fine) Dal Sengo- go back to the sign ( ) (abbreviation- D.S.) ). When Dal Sengo al Coda- go back to the sign ( ) and play to the coda sign ( ), then skip to the coda section and play to the end. (D.S. al Coda) Dal Sengo al Fine- go back to the sign ( ) and play to fine. Dolce- sweetly Double bar- two bar lines at the end of a line of music, at the end of a piece or section, or they may be found where the key signature or meter signature changes. Double Flat- indicated by placing two flats before a note. They lower a tone two half steps or one whole step Double Sharp- raises the pitch two half steps or one whole step and are indicated by the symbol x Dynamics- volume Embouchure- those lip and mouth muscles used in creating a musical tone on an instrument. An embouchure used to play flute, for example, would not work on tuba. Enharmonic Tones- Although this word is not used often, you see enharmonic tones all of the time. They are defined as any two notes, which are written differently, but sound the same. Example: G# is played the same as "A " and they sound the same. When you sharp a note, you raise the pitch one half step. When you flat a note, you lower the pitch one half step. When most notes are sharped, they sound the same as the next higher note would sound when flatted (other examples of this are A#- B, C#- D, etc.). EXCEPTIONS: There are two cases where the above system does not apply. Because the notes B to C and E to F are only one half step apart to begin with, B# will sound the same as C. C will be the same as B- natural, E# is the same as F- natural and F is the same as E- natural. Ensemble- group; a trio or quartet or duet; a band or a chorus, etc. More than one Etude- a musical study or exercise. More than a mechanical or technical piece of music, this one can usually be used as a selection you might also play for pleasure or for someone else. Fine- finish ; end Grace Notes- One or more small notes, above and to the left of the regularly printed notes. Grace notes receive no time value of their own, but are played in a delicate style just before the regular notes. They don t usually start right on the beat, but precede the beat just slightly. Pg. 4 of 7

5 Harmony- harmony exists any time that more than note is played at the same time. (Unless the two or more notes are the same, or unison) Interval- the distance between two notes Intonation- if your intonation is good, then you are playing well in tune with the musicians around you. When playing the same note as another person or when playing part of a chord with them, there will be no clashes in the air, or waves ( beats ). When intonation is bad, you are out of tune with another person or with other notes you have played yourself. There are many ways to change the pitch on your instrument to help you be better in tune. Know what those possibilities are for you personally, since they are different for each instrument Ledger Lines- these are the lines we use to make the staff bigger, by putting them above or below the staff. When you play notes several lines or spaces beyond the top or bottom of the regular staff, you are using ledger lines. Measure Repeat Sign- these look like this and they mean to play again exactly what you had in the measure before it. In some cases you are asked to play the two measure before again, exactly as you did the last two measure. The sign for this looks like this // Melody- the tune or the part you most often sing. The most important part. Meno- means less or not as much. It is usually part of a combination such as Meno Mosso, which means less motion or movement Molto- much or great deal. It is another combination word for use in situations such as Molto Accelerando Octave- A distance of eight scale steps, or the distance between two notes that have the same letter name but are not unison and are not more than eight steps apart ( D to the next higher D would be an octave) Pitch- the high or low characteristics of a note Poco- by itself, the word means little. It is another combination word such as Poco Accelerando Rhythm- the pulse, the beat, or the treatment of note values in music. How much time notes and rests receive, when they begin and end and how they relate to one another and to the meter and measure are all parts of what is called rhythm in music. Along with melody and harmony, it is one of the most important essentials to music. Simile- the same or continue in the same styles as you have been playing. This term is probably most often used when talking about articulation. For example, if you have been playing a section staccato, they may put a simile in a piece and leave out the dots over the notes (you would continue to play the notes staccato). Soli- A solo played with the rest of you section or a solo part shared with another person or instrument. Solo- You alone or the people on your part alone. One player Sostenuto- related to our word sustain. Means to play all notes as long as possible, very connected and smooth. Staff- the five lines (and four spaces) that we use to write music on Pg. 5 of 7

6 Syncopation- A rhythm pattern in which a normally weak part of a measure or beat is emphasized. Playing with the accent or pulses off the beat Tacet- no part, do not play, silent Tempo- speed Tenuto- like our word tenacious, or to hang on. Means to play the notes long and sustained. Usually indicated by lines (or dashes) over the notes. Transpose- see the section above concert key. This word deals with changing notes or keys (or scales) in order to play the same or other sounds with other instruments or people. Treble- high notes or sounds, high frequencies, opposite of bass Triplet- a group of three notes to be performed in the place of two of the same kind, usually indicated by a 3 and also a slur- like mark. Example: if you have three eighth notes (in four- four time) with a 3 under or over them, you must play all three eighth notes on one beat. Unison- all together, or playing the same part Order of Sharps and Flats: On Proficiency Written Examinations, you will be asked to know the order in which flats and sharps occur in key signatures so that you will later be able to determine what key music sections are in. Flats always come in the same order; no matter what instrument you play. For example, the first flat will always be B followed by E. You will never have "E " in the key signature by itself; it will always be the second flat. Flat Order: B, E, A, D, G, C, F Sharps will always come in the same order also (happens to be the reverse order of the flats) Sharp Order: F, C, G, D, A, E, B (Hint: Fat Cats Get Dizzy After Eating Birds) Reading Key Signatures: The order in which flats always appear in a key signature is B, E, A, D, G, C, F. The order in which sharps always appear in a key signature is F, C, G, D, A, E, B Using the above order, we may determine the key of a piece of music by using the following methods: 1. Flats- the next- to- last flat will name the key a. Example: If four flats exist in the key signature (B, E, A, D) the third flat will name the key (in this case A ) 2. Sharps- look at the last sharp in the key signature and go up one half step for the key name. a. Example: three sharps in a key signature (F, C, G) a half step up from G# is A 3. Exceptions- there are only two cases in which the above formulas will not work: a. If there are no sharps or flats in the key signature, the key is C b. If there is only one flat in the key signature, the key is F Pg. 6 of 7

7 Metronome Markings: These are the small numbers sometimes found at the beginning of a piece of music, to indicate the exact tempo at which the music is to be played. The metronome marking =60 would mean that 60 quarter notes are to be played per minute (one per second). =120 would mean to play 120 quarter notes are to be played per minute (two per second). =90 would mean to play 90 eighth notes in one minute, etc. The word metronome refers to an electric or wind- up device, which will click the beat at any tempo for which it is set. It is helpful in determining and in maintaining a steady tempo when practicing. Pg. 7 of 7