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Music Notation Symbols
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Flashcards
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Dal Segno
Means 'from the sign'; instructs the player to repeat the piece from the sign '𝄋'.
Breath Mark
A small apostrophe-like symbol placed above the staff; indicates where the performer should take a breath.
Sforzando
A sudden, strong emphasis on a note or chord; usually involves a harsh accent.
Arpeggio
Breaks a chord into a sequence of notes played in quick succession, usually from low to high.
Treble Clef
Indicates the pitch of written notes is relatively high; used for violin, flute, oboe, and women's voices.
Quarter Note
Represents one beat in common time; a filled-in note head with a stem.
Slur
Indicates that notes should be played smoothly and connected, without breaks between them.
Fine
Marks the end of a piece or a section of a piece that's to be repeated.
Turn
A short figure consisting of the note above the one indicated, the note itself, the note below the one indicated, and the note itself again.
Flat
Lowers the pitch of a note by one half step.
Half Note
Represents two beats in common time; a hollow note head with a stem.
Eighth Note
Represents one half of a beat in common time; a filled-in note head with a stem and one flag or beam.
Thirty-second Note
Represents an eighth of a beat in common time; a filled-in note head with a stem and three flags or beams.
Dotted Note
A dot after a note head increases the duration of the note by half its original value.
Time Signature
Indicates the number of beats in each measure and which note value is equivalent to a beat.
Bass Clef
Indicates the pitch of written notes is relatively low; used for bass, tuba, trombone, and men's voices.
Crescendo
Gradually increases the volume; represented by a hairpin opening outwards.
Grace Note
A small note with a slash through the stem; indicates an ornament played quickly before the main note, often crushed into it.
Alto Clef
Centers the note C in the middle of the staff; used for viola and alto trombone.
Whole Note
Represents four beats in common time; a hollow note head with no stem.
Decrescendo
Gradually decreases the volume; represented by a hairpin closing inwards.
Trill
A rapid alternation between two adjacent notes, usually a semitone or whole tone apart.
Coda
An ending section of a piece of music; often contains a final thematic material.
Dynamics
Indicates the volume at which music is played; includes symbols such as p (piano), f (forte), mf (mezzo-forte), etc.
Fermata
A musical notation indicating that the note should be prolonged beyond the normal duration its note value would indicate.
Mordent
An ornament indicating that the note is to be played with a single rapid alternation with the note above or below.
Forte-Piano
A dynamic marking that indicates to play a note loudly (forte) and then immediately softly (piano).
Articulation
Directions to a performer on how to play a note or group of notes; includes staccato, legato, accent, and more.
Pedal Mark
Indicates where the sustain pedal of the piano should be applied or released.
Da Capo
Means 'from the head'; an instruction to return to the beginning of the piece.
Sixty-fourth Note
Represents a sixteenth of a beat in common time; a filled-in note head with a stem and four flags or beams.
Glissando
A continuous sliding from one pitch to another (a true glissando), or an incidental scale executed rapidly (an effective glissando).
Sharp
Raises the pitch of a note by one half step.
Staccato
Indicates a note should be played shorter than its notated duration, with separation from the following note.
Tenor Clef
Similar to Alto Clef, but centers the note C on the fourth line; used for upper ranges of bassoon, cello, trombone.
Fermata
Indicates that a note or rest should be held longer than its value; also known as a hold or a bird's eye.
Repeat Sign
Indicates a section of music that is to be played more than once.
Codetta
A short conclusion section; a little coda that helps to round off a section of music.
Tie
Connects two adjacent notes of the same pitch into a single, sustained note.
Natural
Cancels a previous sharp or flat and returns the note to its original pitch.
Sixteenth Note
Represents a quarter of a beat in common time; a filled-in note head with a stem and two flags or beams.
Accent
Emphasizes a note with a dynamic attack; the note is played louder than the surrounding notes.
Segno
The sign that is used in conjunction with Dal Segno; indicates where to return when instructed.
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