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Basic Music Theory FAQ's

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Lines, Ledger Lines, and Staff

There are 5 lines in a staff. Anything above or below the 5 lines are called Ledger lines. In between these lines are notes and staffs. These indicate one of the seven letters that can be found in the musical alphabet. These letters consist of A, B, C, D, E, F, G.

Time Signature

Time signatures indicate which note gets the beat. This looks like a fraction, and it is shown in the beginning of every piece in sheet music. 

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Order of Sharps and Flats

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The order of sharps goes as F, C, G, D, A, E, B. The order of flats goes as B, E, A, D, G, F. C These indicate which notes are sharp or flat in any given scale. A sharp is a note that is raised. A Flat is a note that is lowered. A step will be covered in the scales section of the next chapter. A step is a change of direction of pitch. Pitch is how a note sounds based of its scale. 

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Other Types of Clefs

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There are other types of clefs that can be found in sheet music. One example is the middle c clef. 

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Accidentals

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There are 4 well known accidentals in sheet music. One is a sharp. Another is called a flat. A Double sharp is an example of a sharp that is raised a whole value. A Double Flat is an example of a flat that is lowered one whole value. 

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Notes and Values

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There are many different types of notes that are found in sheet music. Each note has a value based off what the time signature says. More will be covered later.

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Rests and Sustains

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Rests indicate that a note is not played.  Sustains indicate that there is a note that is held after being played.

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Repeat Symbols

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Repeat symbols indicate that a piece is being started over at either another section of the piece or over the top. 

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Double Barred Line

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The double barred line indicates that a piece has been ended. 

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Tempo

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The tempo is the speed of beat in relation to its note value. 

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Timbre

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The Timbre is instructions of how to play a piece based of its complexity or sound.

Numbers Indicating Positioning.

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These indicate where fingers are positioned anywhere on any specific instrument. They often accommodate fluid movement. 

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Scales and Modes.

There are many types of scales found in music. The two most common are the major and minor scale. The major scale consists of a whole, whole, half, whole, whole, half. These are in relation to the steps being raised or lowered by a half or a whole step on any given scale. There is also the minor scale which consists of whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. These also are in relation to the steps being raised or lowered by a half or whole step on any given scale. Modes are scales that are derived from the major or minor scale.  Ionian mode for example is the first church mode. This mode is based off the major scale. There are seven church modes. Ionian (the major scale), Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian (the minor scale), Lorain. This can be remembered using the phrase I don't play like my aunt Lory.

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The Letters of the Musical Alphabet

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On the treble clef the spaces spell FACE. On the lines the lines the letters go as E, G, B, D, F, A. On the bass clef the spaces spell ACEG. On the lines G, B, D, F, A.

Lyrics

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Lyrics are also found commonly in music.

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Notes And Rests

All notes and rests are  infinitely less then 1

a fraction representing a value of 1 or less typically not going further then the division of a 32nd note. In most occasions this is isn’t deviated much. 

To count a measure…

You must determine whether it’s a rest or if it’s a note being played or sustained or avoided. 

Then you must determine which note gets the beat using time signature. 

This is the denominator of the fraction showed on the top far left of any sheet music. 

Then you must count the numerator as the beats per measure. 

This number is found on the numerator of the fraction found on the time signature.

The tempo is the speed of the beat in relation to its time signature and rhythmic value. 

Types of Rest Values

1.Quarter Rest ¼

2. Whole Rest 1

3. Half Rest 1/2

4. 1/8 rest 

5. 1/16 rest

6. 1/32 Rest

infinity

Types Of Note Values

1. Quarter Note 1/4

2. Whole Note 1

3. Half  Note 1/2

 4. 1/16  Note

5. 1/32  Note

6. 1/8 Note

infinity 

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This applies to almost every situation in sheet music rhetorically. There are certain theoretical situations where the breve is used with a dot or a double breve which is the equivalent of two whole notes.

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