‘’Basic Music Theory’’
Essential Notation and Concepts
1. Note: A written symbol representing a specific pitch and duration. Each note has a unique
shape and can be modified with flags, stems, and dots to indicate its length.
2. Pitch: The perceived highness or lowness of a sound, determined by its frequency.
3. Duration: The length of time a note is held or played, indicated by its shape and any
accompanying markings.
4. Rest: A symbol indicating a period of silence in music, corresponding to a specific note value.
5. Staff: A set of five horizontal lines used to write music notation. Notes are placed on or
between these lines to indicate their pitch.
6. Clef: A symbol placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate the pitch range of the notes
written on it. Common clefs include the treble clef (for higher pitches) and bass clef (for lower
pitches).
7. Key Signature: A set of sharps or flats placed at the beginning of a piece of music to indicate
the key it's written in. This determines which notes are considered natural and which are raised
or lowered. [3]
8. Time Signature: A pair of numbers at the beginning of a piece of music that indicate the
meter, specifying the number of beats per measure and the note value that represents one beat.
9. Measure: A section of music between two bar lines, containing a specific number of beats as
defined by the time signature.
10. Beat: The regular pulse or underlying rhythm of music.
11. Tempo: The speed or pace of a piece of music, often indicated by Italian terms like allegro
(fast) or adagio (slow).
12. Dynamics: The variations in volume or loudness of music, indicated by symbols like p
(piano, soft) and f (forte, loud). [3]
Intervals and Scales
1. Interval: The distance between two notes, measured in semitones (half steps). Intervals are
named according to the number of letter names they span, such as a second (C to D), a fourth (C
to F), or a seventh (C to B).
2. Semitone: The smallest interval in Western music, equivalent to half a step.
3. Tone: A whole step, equivalent to two semitones.
4. Scale: A series of notes arranged in a specific pattern of intervals, defining a particular musical
sound or feeling. Common scales include the major scale and the minor scale.
5. Major Scale: A seven-note scale with a specific pattern of whole and half steps: W-W-H-WW-W-H.
6. Minor Scale: A seven-note scale with a different pattern of whole and half steps: W-H-W-WW-H-W.
Chords and Harmony
1. Chord: Three or more notes played simultaneously, creating a harmonic sound.
2. Triad: The simplest type of chord, consisting of three notes: root, third, and fifth.
3. Major Triad: A triad with a major third (four semitones) and a perfect fifth (seven semitones)
above the root.
4. Minor Triad: A triad with a minor third (three semitones) and a perfect fifth (seven
semitones) above the root.
5. Inversion: Changing the order of notes in a chord, where the bass note is no longer the root.
6. Harmony: The combination of different pitches played together, creating a sense of musical
structure and depth.
7. Root: The lowest note of a chord or scale, acting as the tonal center.
8. Tonic: The first note of a scale, also known as the root.
9. Dominant: The fifth note of a scale, often creating a sense of tension or anticipation.
Additional Key Concepts
- Melody: A series of notes played one after the other to create a tune.
- Rhythm: The arrangement of sounds and silences in music, creating a sense of movement and
pulse.
- Cadence: A chord progression that occurs at the end of a musical phrase, providing a sense of
resolution or closure.
- Form: The overall structure or organization of a piece of music, outlining how different
sections or ideas are presented and developed.
- Modulation: Changing the key of a piece of music, transitioning from one tonal center to
another.