Music Theory for Choir

Whole Note

A note worth four beats of sound

Treble Clef

a clef placing G above middle C on the second-lowest line of the staff.

Quarter Note

A note worth one beat of sound

Eighth Note

A note worth half of a beat of sound

Sixteenth Note

A note worth a fourth of a beat

Dotted Half Note

A note worth three beats (gets 3 counts of sound)

Half Rest

A rest that is worth two beats of silence

Whole Rest

A rest that is worth four beats of silence

Quarter Rest

A rest that is worth one beat of silence

Eighth Rest

A rest that is worth half a beat of silence

Sixteenth Rest

A rest that is worth a fourth of a beat of silence

Mezzo Piano

A dynamic marking meaning medium soft.

Mezzo Forte

A dynamic marking meaning medium loud.

Forte

A dynamic marking meaning loud.

Fortissimo

A dynamic marking meaning very loud.

Pianissimo

A dynamic marking meaning very soft.

Crescendo

A dynamic marking indicating that the music should gradually increase in volume, also written as cresc.

Decrescendo

A dynamic marking indicating that the music should gradually get softer, also written as decresc.

Dynamics

A word referring to the volume markings in music.

Tempo

The speed at which music is taken.

Key Signature

The sharps or flats in music indicating the key or a key change.

Time Signature

Indicates how many beats per measure and what kind of note gets the beat.

Diaphragm

A dome-shaped, muscular partition separating the thorax from the abdomen in mammals. It plays a major role in breathing, as its contraction increases the volume of the thorax and so inflates the lungs. (What we breathe from.)

Soprano

The highest of the standard singing voices.

Alto

A voice part below the highest range and above tenor.

Tenor

A singing voice between baritone and alto, the highest of the ordinary adult male range.

Bass

The lowest adult male singing voice.

Baritone

An adult male singing voice between tenor and bass.

Treble Clef

Also called the "G clef" because the symbol at the beginning of the staff encircles the second line of the staff, indicating that line to be G above middle C.

Bass Clef

also known as the F clef, typically indicates a lower set of notes.

Staff

Consists of 5 lines and 4 spaces.

FACE

Spaces of the Treble Clef

EGBDF

Lines of the Treble Clef

ACEG

Lines of the Bass Clef

GBDFA

Lines of the Bass Clef

ABCDEFG

The musical alphabet

Ledger lines

Used to extend the staff

Bar line

Separates the staff into measures

Clef

Indicates how to label the lines and spaces of the staff

Double bar line

Indicates the end of a section or end of the music

Repeat sign

Indicates to repeat back to similar sign earlier in music

Top number of time signature

Indicates how many beats per measure.

Bottom number of the time signature

Indicates what kind of note gets the beat

Flat Sign

Lowers the note 1/2 a step

Sharp Sign

Raises the note 1/2 a step

Natural Sign

Cancels out a sharp or a flat sign

Steady Beat

The pulse in music

Dotted quarter note

A note worth one and a half beats

Diminuendo

Indicates to gradually get quieter