HIGHLANDS CHOIR SEMESTER EXAM REVIEW Types of Notes and Rests Notes Rests Whole Half Quarter Eighth Sixteenth Whole Half Quarter Eighth Sixteenth Time Signature or Meter The Staff and the Clefs The top number tells us the number of beats per measure; in this case, it is 3. The bottom number tells us the type of note that equals one beat. In this case, it would be the quarter note. A C in the time signature indicates common time, another way to indicate 4-4 time signature. A C with a vertical slash through it would indicate cut time, or 2-2. The staff is composed of 5 lines and 4 spaces. The clef at the beginning of the staff indicates which pitch range is to be used (treble clef for higher voices, bass clef for lower voices). Women typically read treble clef, while tenors can read either treble or bass clef, and basses almost always read bass clef. Sometimes the treble clef for tenors will be shown with an 8 at the bottom to indicate that they are to sing everything they see down an octave (or else they would be singing in the women s range). Treble clef Treble clef Bass clef (for tenors)
Pitch In music, a note on the staff indicates how high or low a given pitch is. These are indicated by letters in the musical alphabet. The letters of musical alphabet go up from A to G; the pitch just above G would start over at A and continue on. The letters assigned to the lines and spaces depend on which clef the musician is using. The two most common clefs used by singers are treble and bass clef. The letter assignments do not change; for example, the bottom line of the treble clef will always be an E. Treble Clef Letters Lines: Every Good Boy Does Fine Spaces: F A C E Face is in the space Bass Clef Letters Lines: Good Boys Do Fine Always Spaces: All Cows Eat Grass
Solfege Solfege is the system by which singers sight-read a piece of music. It was originally developed during the Renaissance time period by a man named Guido d Arezzo. It uses the followings syllables: Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do Singers use the system by assigning them to the staff based on the alternating of line and space. For instance, if Do is on the bottom line of the staff, the following would be true: Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do Line Space Line Space Line Space Line Space How the letters on the staff work with solfege Knowing the key of a song tells the singer where to place Do. For instance, if we were I the key of A, girls reading the treble clef would know that Do would be on the second space. In addition, this means that any A, regardless of whether or not it falls on a line or space, would be Do. If you change the key, all of the solfege shifts with it. See the examples below; pay attention to what happens to the A space when the key is changed. Key of A Key of G Example test question: Fill in the missing solfege in the examples played. (2 pts. each) Do Re Mi Mi Re Do Mi Sol La Sol Fa Sol
Music Vocabulary Dynamic Markings The term dynamics refers to the relative volume at which music is to be performed. From softest to loudest, the basic terms are as follows: Symbol Italian name Meaning pp Pianissimo Very soft p Piano Soft P Mezzo Piano Medium soft F Mezzo forte Medium loud f Forte Loud ff Fortissimo Very loud cresc. Crescendo gradually get louder or decresc. Decrescendo gradually get softer or dim. Diminuendo gradually get softer
Tempo and Articulation Markings Italian Meaning rit. ritardando slow down rall. rallantando slow down accel. accelerando get faster a tempo (same) return to the original tempo k staccato sing/play short and detached _ legato sing/play smooth and connected > accent sing/play the note more forcefully sub. subito suddenly piu (same) more molto (same) much The metronome is an instrument that helps a musician determine an exact tempo. It is measured in beats per minute. If the tempo is 60, then the speed of the beat will be exactly the same as the second hand on any stopwatch or clock. Voice Parts & Vocal Technique Female Voice Parts, Highest to Lowest Soprano I Soprano II Alto I Alto II Male Voice Parts, Highest to Lowest Tenor I Tenor II Baritone Bass v Proper singing requires the singer to breathe from the diaphragm. v Singers should stand with their chest high, their feet approximately shoulderwidth apart, and with their head up. One should never stand with locked knees. v The area in the front of the face in which sound should resonate is referred to as the masque.