Music Notes
IGCSE BASIC THEORY TEST REVISION
RHYTHM
Metre – the number of beats to a bar and their value
Time signature – two numbers signifying the metre of the music
Simple – each beat is divisible into halves e.g. 2/4, 3/4, 4/4
Compound – each beat is a dotted note which can be divided in to three quavers e.g. 6/8, 9/8, 12/8
Triplets – three notes played in the space of two
Dotted rhythms – placing a dot after a note which adds half the length (a dotted crotchet is worth one and a half beats, a dotted minim is worth three beats)
Tied notes – joining two notes of the same pitch with a curved line which means they are played together
Accents – stress or emphasis on certain notes. Usually the first beat of a bar is a ‘strong’ beat which is accented, and the second beat is ‘weak’ or unaccented.
Syncopation – a rhythmic effect where the expected stress of beats is altered. The most common methods are placing an accent on a weak beat, placing a rest on a strong beat, tying over a strong beat or using off beats
Off-beat – placing an accent between beats
Polyrhythm – two or more different rhythms being played at the same time.
Swing – a type of rhythm usually found in Jazz where quavers are played as a crotchet and quaver triplet.
MELODY
Pitch notation – treble, bass, alto clef
Step (conjunct) – moving to the next note above or below
Leap (disjunct) – moving to a note two or more steps above or below
Range – the distance between the lowest and highest note of a melody (wide / narrow)
Octave – the distance from one note to the next of the same letter name (e.g C – C)
Phrase – a short section of music, often marked with a ‘phrase mark’ (long slur)
Question and answer (antecedent and consequent) phrases
Ascending – melody moves up
Descending – melody moves down
Sequence – a short section of melody repeated one note higher or lower
Imitation – a musical idea imitated, or copied, by another instrument or voice
Repetition – a musical idea
RHYTHM
Metre – the number of beats to a bar and their value
Time signature – two numbers signifying the metre of the music
Simple – each beat is divisible into halves e.g. 2/4, 3/4, 4/4
Compound – each beat is a dotted note which can be divided in to three quavers e.g. 6/8, 9/8, 12/8
Triplets – three notes played in the space of two
Dotted rhythms – placing a dot after a note which adds half the length (a dotted crotchet is worth one and a half beats, a dotted minim is worth three beats)
Tied notes – joining two notes of the same pitch with a curved line which means they are played together
Accents – stress or emphasis on certain notes. Usually the first beat of a bar is a ‘strong’ beat which is accented, and the second beat is ‘weak’ or unaccented.
Syncopation – a rhythmic effect where the expected stress of beats is altered. The most common methods are placing an accent on a weak beat, placing a rest on a strong beat, tying over a strong beat or using off beats
Off-beat – placing an accent between beats
Polyrhythm – two or more different rhythms being played at the same time.
Swing – a type of rhythm usually found in Jazz where quavers are played as a crotchet and quaver triplet.
MELODY
Pitch notation – treble, bass, alto clef
Step (conjunct) – moving to the next note above or below
Leap (disjunct) – moving to a note two or more steps above or below
Range – the distance between the lowest and highest note of a melody (wide / narrow)
Octave – the distance from one note to the next of the same letter name (e.g C – C)
Phrase – a short section of music, often marked with a ‘phrase mark’ (long slur)
Question and answer (antecedent and consequent) phrases
Ascending – melody moves up
Descending – melody moves down
Sequence – a short section of melody repeated one note higher or lower
Imitation – a musical idea imitated, or copied, by another instrument or voice
Repetition – a musical idea