Lessons in Mr. Boyes Middle School Music Click for Menu

Click on the pictures or text to take you to its slide. When finished with all seven, click on the button in the right corner to take you to the quiz.

Click for Menu The Treble Staff is the basic staff in music. Its lines have the notes E, G, B, D, and F while its spaces have F, A, C and E. This is where higher notes are written. When singing multi part music, female voice parts are written here. Occasionally, one will see an 8 below the Treble Clef. This signifies that the tenor part is on this line, and should be played an octave lower than written.

Click for Menu The Bass Staff is the second most common staff in music. It is used by all instruments. It is also where the lowest notes are written. On its lines are the notes G, B, D, F, and A and on its spaces are A, C, E, and G. When singing multipart music, male voice parts are often written here, especially for four part songs.

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Rests are the point in music where nothing is done, hence the term. Rests are often used to give a singer or instrumentalist time to take a breath so they can continue. Rest lengths are divided the same way as notes. Refer to the picture on the right. (Top is a whole rest, bottom is sixteenth rests.)

Click for Menu Key signatures are the way musicians know how to play certain notes. The # symbol means to play the note whose line it is on a half step up. The b symbol means to play the note it is on a half step down. The notes are played like this every time they are played in that key.

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Tempo is the speed of the music played. There are many words used to describe how fast or slow. They are: TermMeaning AccelerandoGradually Faster A TempoBack to original tempo Con MotoWith Motion Meno MossoLess Movement Piu MossoMore Movement RallentandoGradually Slower RitardandoGradually Slower TermMeaning RubatoFreely TenutoHold note for full value PocoLittle Poco a pocoLittle by little Tempo can also be given as a number at the top of a song. This number can be used in conjunction with a metronome, as seen above.

Voice parts are the divisions in choir music used to separate harmonies into groups. There are four main groups: Soprano and Alto, primarily womens parts, and Tenor and Bass, primarily mens parts. Each of these can be divided into 1 and 2 parts (i.e. Bass 1 and Bass 2). The 1 is the higher part. Soprano and Tenor are higher than Alto and Bass, respectively by gender. Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor, Contralto, and Baritone are more examples of voice parts. Mezzo- Soprano is between Alto and Soprano. Countertenor is another term for a male soprano. Contralto is the lowest alto part. Baritones are between basses and tenors. Click for Menu

A) A quarter rest B) An eighth rest C) A sixteenth rest Click on the answer you think is correct!

You picked A) A quarter note. Filling the measure with this note would make the beat count 4 and a half, which is too much for this time signature. Click Here to try again!

You Picked C) A sixteenth rest A sixteenth rest here would not quite be long enough to fill out the space. We need something a bit bigger Click Here to try again!

You picked the right choice!!!! Placing an eighth rest here would fill the measure up to 4 notes. Click to advance to end

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