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Tie, slur and beam
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Dynamics
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symbol marks changed chapters.
 

Musical Theory reminder

Lexicon
A B C D E F G I K N O R S T V

Accent
Just as many written languages employ accents to show how a letter should be pronounced, so musical notation employs accents to indicate phrasing.
Thus, if you see:
  • a horizontal curved line linking a number of different notes, this indicates a slur. To make the software play it properly, set the notes’ pressure time to 100%.
  • a horizontal curved line linking two notes of different pitch, with the second note shorter than the first, emphasizes the first and lets the second one breathe out as a muted syllable (use pressure time and velocity together).
  • a dot above or below a note means that this note is detached: set a pressure time of 50 to 80%
  • an elongated dot above or below a note, this note is staccato: set a pressure time of 10 to 60%.

Accidental
This is a symbol which modifies the pitch of the note it is linked to, as well as all the subsequent notes in the bar on the same line (or space) of the staff.
There are five accidentals:
 
  • Double-flat (bb), which lowers the note by one tone
  • Flat (b), which lowers the note by one semitone,
  • Natural, which cancels the effect of a previous accidental (or a default sharp or flat from the key signature)
  • Sharp (#) which raises the note by one semitone,
  • Double-sharp (notated by a little cross x ) which raises the note by one tone.

    •  
When you see an accidental (sharp, flat...) before a note, that note and all the notes in the same bar and on the same line (or space) are affected.
Most of the time, notes with the same name but in a different octave are also altered. This feature can, however, be turned off in the software in Configuration>Global Setup.

Appoggiatura
This is a little note, placed before another note, which steals its time from the note it is linked to.
When several appogiaturas are linked to a note, they are called Grace notes.

Arpeggio
Notes in an arpeggio chord are not played simultaneously, but successively, very quickly.

Bar

Bars (sometimes called measures) divide a piece of music into equal parts. A bar is subdivided generally into two, three or four parts, called beats.
Not all the beats in a bar have the same importance, depending on the accent:
 
  • Commonly, strong beats are the first and third beats of a 4-beat bar.
  • The other beats are weak.
Beats are themselves divided into several parts. The first part of a beat is strong, the remainder is weak.

To tell the performer the bar division, two numbers are placed like a fraction after the clef.

The upper number expresses the number of beats in a bar.
The lower number expresses the length of these beats (in fractions of a whole note).

For example, a 3/4 bar comprises three beats each worth a quarter note.

For more information read the Time signature chapter.

Bar line
The bar line is the vertical line which separates each bar from the next.

Chord

A chord is a group of notes played at the same time.

A chord is always related to a scale and is made of at least three notes:
 

  • the Root note (or fundamental, or keynote) which gives its name to the chord.
  • the Third, corresponding to the third degree of the root note scale; 4 semitones above the root in a major scale.

    • The third can be minor, i.e. one semitone below its regular pitch. In this case, the chord is called minor and notated m.
  • the Fifth, 7 semitones above the root. The fifth can be true, diminished (a semitone lower, notated b5) or augmented (a semitone higher, notated 5+)
With only these three notes, it is already possible to make a significant number of different chords.

Example:
A C major chord, notated C, is made of:

  • The root, C
  • The third (major) located 4 semitones above C, that is to say, E
  • The fifth (true) located 7 semitones above C, that is to say, G
An E minor diminished fifth (or flat fifth), Emb5 will be made of:
  • The root note E
  • The minor third, located 4-1=3 semitones above the root, i.e. G
  • The diminished fifth, located 7-1=6 semitones above the root, i.e. Bb (or A# by enharmony)
There are chords made of more than three notes. The software can also use chords of four or five notes, made of the root note, the third and the fifth, but also:
  • the seventh (seventh scale degree) which can be:
    • diminished by one tone, notated 6, located 9 semitones above the root, and corresponding in fact to the 6th scale degree
    • minor, notated 7, and located 10 semitones above the root,
    • major, notated 7M, and located 11 semitones above the root
  • The ninth (ninth scale degree, so corresponding to the second degree of the octave above), which can be:
    • minor, notated b9, and located 13 semitones above the root
    • major, notated 9, and located 14 semitones above the root
    • augmented, notated 9+, located 15 semitones above the root.
For example,

A chord of D minor flat fifth, major seventh, diminished ninth will be notated Dmb5/7Mb9 and made of:

  • The root note D
  • The minor third, located 4-1=3 semitones above D, i.e. F.
  • The diminished fifth, located 7-1=6 semitones above D, i.e. Ab (or G#)
  • The major seventh, located 11 semitones above D, i.e. C# (or Db)
  • The diminished ninth, located 13 semitones above D, that is to say one semitone above the D in upper octave, i.e. D# (or Eb)
Finally, every chord can be inverted. Inversion changes only the order of notes, never the note values themselves.

Dot

This symbol, placed after a note, increases its duration by half. For example, a dotted quarter note would play for a quarter plus an eighth.
A dot can also be placed after a rest.

Dynamics
Most instruments are capable of being played quietly or loudly. The volume at which passages are played is referred to as ‘dynamics’. The pianoforte is so named because it can play softly or loudly depending on how hard the keys are struck.
In synthesizer speak, the individual note dynamic is called ‘velocity’ because the volume of the note is dependent on the speed of the hand with which it is struck. In this version of the software, dynamics can be set by adjusting the individual velocities of the notes.
For more information, see the Dynamics chapter.

Enharmony
In a scale, notes are distributed in degrees, separated by intervals. The scale of F, for example, comprises F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F
But a note can be flat or sharp, so two note names can indicate the same pitch.
Consider the scale of B. This comprises B, C#, D#, E, F#, G# A# B. Here it is appropriate to call the seventh note A#, though it is exactly the same note as the fourth note in the scale of F, which it is more convenient to call Bb. This is enharmony.

Flat (b)

Placed before a note, lowers the pitch by one semitone.

Ghost rest
This notion is specific to Harmony and Melody, and does not exist in regular musical theory.
A ghost rest is a rest used to make up a bar during editing. It indicates an incomplete bar, in which notes can still be added.
It is drawn as:

A ghost rest graphically shows the time remaining in a bar. You can transform ghosts rests to rests by using the staff menu (black triangle in the staff margin), option "Change ghost rests to rests".

  
Tip: ghost rests can be made invisible using an option in Configuration>Global Setup.

Gruppetto
This is a group of three or four little notes before or after the main note. As with grace notes (appoggiatura), their lengths are taken from the note they are linked with.

Inversion
In its fundamental state, the notes of a chord are in the regular order, i.e. the root note is the bottom one, then the third, the fifth and eventually the seventh and the ninth.
Inverting a chord changes this relative order so the bottom note can be any of its notes.

The first inversion shifts the root to the next octave. The third then becomes the bass note of the chord.

The second inversion shifts the root and the third to the next octave. The fifth then becomes the bass note of the chord.

The same principle can be applied for the third and fourth inversions (of course, these inversions only make sense if the chord has four or five notes).

Thus, a C 7th chord, along with its inversions, will comprise:

fundamental state:     C E G Bb
1st inversion:            E G Bb C
2nd inversion:           G Bb C E
3rd inversion:           Bb C E G

It is also possible to make a lower inversion, i.e. shifting notes to the next lower octave.

Here is a summary of the relative order of notes according to the chord inversion.

Nomenclature:
F = Fundamental (root), 3 = third, 5 = fifth, 7 = 7th, 9 = 9th.

              Octave    Octave   Octave
                -1         0        +1
                  .         .         .
fundamental state .         F 3 5 7 9 .
1st inversion     .         . 3 5 7 9 F
2nd inversion     .         .   5 7 9 F 3
3rd inversion     .         .     7 9 F 3 5
4th inversion     .         .       9 F 3 5 7
1st lower inv.   . 3 5 7 9 F         .
2nd lower inv.   .   5 7 9 F 3       .
3rd lower inv.   .     7 9 F 3 5     .
4th lower inv.   .       9 F 3 5 7   .
 

Key signature
Musical scales are defined by their key signature. The various degrees of the scale are often flat or sharp. To avoid writing accidentals, sharps or flats are only written once, after the clef.

C# major or A# minor
These symbols become the default sharps or flats for the line of the staff they are drawn on.

For more information, refer to the Key signature chapter.
If you are using Harmony Assistant, see also the modal array in the Frequently Asked Questions chapter

Natural
Placed before a note, cancels the previous sharp or flat (whether in key signature or accidental).

Note

A note is a symbol representing both a duration and a pitch. The note shape represents its duration, its position on the staff represents its pitch (frequency), and its horizontal location represents the time at which it is played.

- Note pitch
There are 7 notes, which can be written in two different ways.
        C, D, E, F, G, A, B (English notation)
or Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Si (Latin notation)

This series of notes forms an ascending scale of sounds from bass to treble. An octave is the distance between two notes with the same name in two consecutive series.

The vertical position of the note on the staff indicates which degree of the scale defined by the key signature corresponds to the note.

If the note is preceded by the # sign (sharp), the note value is raised by one semitone, as are any other notes of the same degree in the bar.
If the note is preceded by the b sign (flat), the note value is lowered by one semitone, as are any other notes of the same degree in the bar.
Finally, the "natural" symbol before the note cancels the effects of previous sharp or flat.
Note: the same note can sometimes be written in different ways. See Enharmony.
- Note duration
The shape of the note indicates its duration. In decreasing order:
  • whole note (semibreve),
  • half note (minim) = 1/2 a whole note,
  • quarter note (crotchet) = 1/2 a half note,
  • 8th note (quaver) = 1/2 a quarter note,
  • 16th note (semiquaver) = 1/2 an 8th note,
  • 32nd note (demisemiquaver) = 1/2 a 16th note...
These lengths can be combined with the tie option in the Edit menu. By tying a half note with an 8th note, for example, a note with a duration equal to the sum of these two lengths is obtained.
Dotted notes indicate a duration of one-and-a-half times the written duration. For example, a dotted quarter has the same duration as a quarter plus an 8th note.

It is also possible to use triplets (their duration is equal to 2/3 of the written note).

- Notation:

Notes are written on a staff or stave.
Notes in the same column are played at the same time.
To beam the notes together, select them with the lasso tool and choose "Beam" in the "Edit" menu.
Beamed notes indicate to the performer that they will be played in the same "phrase". In this case beams replace the hooks.

When different notes are beamed together, determining their respective duration becomes a little bit more complex. For example:

To determine the duration of a given note, look for the maximum number of beams in contact with its stem. This indicates the note's duration.

It is also possible to place signs indicating that no note is to be played during an interval of time. Such signs are called rests.

Nuance
Nuances are the various strengths a note can be played with.
By using dynamics, heavily struck notes can be differentiated from those lightly touched.
Phrasing can be displayed by using the "Edit velocities" option in the staff configuration menu (black triangle in the margin to the left of the staff).

Octave
Octave is the eighth degree of the scale.
Two notes separated by a whole number of octaves have the same name.
The choice of the octave of a chord determines the pitch this chord is played at.
In the software, the standard octave is the 4th (the octave the treble notes of a tune are usually played at).
A higher value produces more high-pitched notes, and a lower value lower notes.

Range

The range of notes a given instrument can play is generally defined by the lowest and highest pitched notes the instrument can produce.

Rest

Rests are symbols indicating that no sound is played during that time.
Tip:
In the floating palettes, rests are organized in the same order as notes. Thus, a minim rest is located at the same place in its palette as the minim note.

Sharp (#)

Placed before a note, increases the pitch by one semitone.

Scale

A scale is a sequence of notes, distributed in degrees. There are eight degrees per octave.
These degrees are not evenly spaced: the intervals between degrees determines the type of scale:

For a major scale:
TONE,TONE,SEMITONE,TONE,TONE,TONE,SEMITONE

a semitone is the interval between two successive keys on a piano keyboard (including black keys), or two successive frets on a guitar neck.

A scale can start from any note (C, D, E...).
The first degree, called tonic, gives its name to the scale.
 

 

Name
Location
T Tonic
2 Second 1 tone above the tonic
3 Major third 2 tones above the tonic
4 Fourth 2 and a half tones above the tonic
5 Fifth 3 and a half tones above the tonic
6 Sixth 1 and a half tones below the octave
7M Major seventh One semitone below the octave
Octave 12 semitones above the tonic
For example, a scale of C major will comprise:
C, D, E, F, G, A, B

The E major scale will comprise:
E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#

In the intervals between the degrees can be found:

3m minor third   1 and a half tones above the tonic
b5 flat fifth    3 tones above the tonic
5+ augmented fifth      4 tones above the tonic
7 minor seventh       1 tone below the octave
Note: a scale is called major when its third degree is major, and minor when its third degree is minor.

Staff

A staff (or stave) is represented by five horizontal lines, equally spaced. These lines are numbered from bottom to top. Each line or space between a pair of lines corresponds to a degree of a scale.

With a treble (G) clef, the first (bottom) line is an E.
With a bass (F) clef, the first line is a G.

On the left of the staff, beside the clef, are the time and key signatures.

Sound

A sound is a sensation produced by the vibratory movement of a body on the ear drum.
Musical sound can be distinguished from noise by an exact and measurable frequency. Musical sound is defined by:
• Its pitch (or frequency): more or fewer oscillations in a given amount of time.
• Its intensity, or strength: depends on the amplitude of the oscillations. This is the sound's volume.
• Its timbre which distinguishes two sounds with the same frequency and intensity, and which makes the C of a piano different from that of a flute.

Tablature
Tablature is musical notation designed for fretted instruments. The frets are used to stop the string at different lengths to obtain different frequencies.
Unlike a piano, for example, a fretted instrument can produce the same note at different positions.
Experienced performers can immediately find optimum finger positions. Others can be assisted by tablature.
Every note in 'regular' staff notation is associated with a note in the tablature.
Duration, slur, phrasing ... must still be read from the regular staff. The note's pitch is read from the tablature where string and fret to be played are displayed.
Here's an example for guitar:

The numbers are fret positions. 0 means an open string, 1 the first fret, etc.
The instrument neck is displayed with its sixth  string (bass) at the bottom.

Tablatures can also be calculated for several Harmonicas (diatonic, chromatic…) in any key.
 

Tessitura
This is the range for a voice. Tessitura is generally defined by the lowest and highest notes the singer can sing, or by the number of octaves.

Tonality
The set of rules which governs the construction of scales. In a more restrictive sense, the tonality of a piece is the key in which it is written.

Transpose
Transposing a piece of music means changing it to another key.
This is done by adding or subtracting the same number of semitones from all the notes of the piece.

Trill

Is a rapid variation of pitch.

Triplet
Normally, a note's duration can be divided into two equal parts: a quarter note is made of two eighth notes, for example. This is a binary division.

A triplet divides a note into three equal parts; a ternary division.

Three notes in a triplet have the same value as two notes outside the triplet. Thus, three quarter notes in a triplet are equal to one half note.
In fact, a triplet is simply a 3:2 tuplet.

Tuplet
A tuplet defines fractional notes. It is represented by two digits separated by a colon (:)
A tuplet of a:b means "a notes will be played in the time normally taken by b notes."

For example, if you define a 5:2 tuplet, and you are using eighths, this means that 5 eighth notes will be played in the time normally taken by two eighth notes.

On the score, only the first digit is shown to indicate a tuplet. Thus, if you see a 5 drawn above a note, you can't determine whether it is a 5:1 tuplet, a 5:2 (the notes are twice as long) or a 5:4 (four times as long).
Only examining the number of beats in the bar can clear up this ambiguity!

Velocity
Velocity can be used to play a sudden loud note or chord, create a crescendo or diminuendo, emphasize the beat...
Velocities can be set by using the ‘Edit Velocities’ button to the left of the stave.
When applied to a whole passage, velocities are called ‘dynamics’ in regular musical vocabulary.


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