choir music theory

8/20/2019 Choir Music Theory

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Choir Music Theory

By Austin Carlson


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Table Of Contents

Pg.I

Lesson I P.1 The Staf, Notes, and PitchesLesson II P.2 Treble Cle and Staf

Lesson III P.3 Bass Cle and Staf

Lesson IV P. The !rand Staf and Ledger Lines

"#iddle Notes$

Lesson V P.% Ledger Lines "&igh and Lo' Notes$

Lesson VI P.( Note Val)es

Lesson VII P.* #eas)re, Bar Line, and +o)ble Bar

Lesson VIII P. Ti-e Signat)re and Note Val)es

Lesson I P./ 0hole, &al, and )arter ests

Lesson P.1 Ti-e Signat)re

Lesson I P.11 Ti-e Signat)re

Lesson II P.12 +otted &al Note

Lesson III P.13 Ties and Sl)rs


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Table Of Contents Cont.

Pg.II

Lesson IV P.1 e4eat, 1

st

and 2

nd

5ndingsLesson V P.1% 5ighth Notes

Lesson VI P.1( 5ighth ests

Lesson VII P.1* +otted )arter Note

Lesson VIII P.1 +6na-ic Signs

Lesson I P.1/ Te-4o #ar7s

Lesson P.2 8rtic)lation

Lesson I P.21 +.C, +.S., Coda and 9ine

Lesson II P.22 9lats

Lesson III P.23 Shar4s

Lesson IV P.2 Nat)rals

Lesson V P.2% Tetrachords and #a:or Scales

Lesson VI P.2( The Shar4 Scales;! and +

#a:or

Lesson VII P.2* The 9lat Scales;9 and B


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Table Of Contents Cont.

Pg.III

Lesson VIII P.2 =e6 Signat)res;The Shar4 =e6sLesson I P.2/ =e6 Signat)res;The 9lat =e6s

Lesson P.3 The e-aining #a:or Scales

'ith =e6 Signat)res

Lesson I P.31 Inter>als

Lesson II P.32 Si?teenth Notes

Lesson III P.33 Si?teenth ests

Lesson IV P.3 +otted 5ighth Notes

Lesson V P.3% Co--on Ti-e and C)t Ti-e

Lesson VI P.3( and Ti-e Signat)res

Lesson VII P.3* 5ighth Note Tri4lets

Lesson VIII P.3 Pic7 @4 Notes and

S6nco4ation


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Lesson I

Pg.1

The Staf, Note, and Pitches#)sic is 'ritten on a staf o A>e

lines and o)r s4aces bet'een the-. The Staf

#)sic notes are o>al;sha4ed s6-bols that are 4laced

on the lines and in the s4aces.

The lines are n)-bered ro- botto- to to4

The s4aces are also n)-bered ro- botto- to to4.

I the notes are higher on the staf, the6 so)nd higher in4itch.

I the notes are lower on the staf, the6 so)nd lower in 4itch.


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Lesson II

Pg.2

Treble Cle and Notes#)sic notes are na-ed ater the Arst se>en letters o the

al4habet, ro- 8 to !. B6 their 4osition on the staf, the6 can

re4resent the entire range o -)sical so)nd.

CL59 signs hel4 to organie the staf so notes can be easil6

read.

The T5BL5 CL59 is )sed or notes in the higher 4itch ranges. The treble "or !$ cle has e>ol>ed ro- a st6lied letter ! to

the c)rrent Treble -ar7

The c)rl o the treble cle circles the line on 'hich the ! is

4laced. This ! is abo>e #I++L5 C "the C nearest the -iddle

o the 7e6board$

In the treble staf, the na-es o the notes on the lines ro-

botto- to to4 5, !, B, +, 9. E>er6 Good

Bo6 Does Fine


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The na-es o the notes in the s4aces ro- botto- to to4

s4ell FACE.

Lesson III

Pg.3

Bass Cle and Staf

The bass" 4rono)nced baseD$ is )sed or notes in the lo'er4itch ranges. The bass "or 9$ cle has e>ol>ed ro- a st6lied

9 to the c)rrent bass -ar7.

The t'o dots o the bass cle s)rro)nd the line on 'hich the

note o 9 is 4laced. This 9 is belo' -iddle C.

In the bass staf, the na-es o the notes on the lines ro-

botto- to to4 are !, B, +, 9, 8. Good

Bo6s Do Fine Al'a6s

The na-e o the notes in the s4aces ro- botto- to to4 8, C,

5, !.


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All Co's Eat Grass

Lesson IV

Pg.

The !rand Staf and Ledger Lines "#iddle Notes$

0hen the bass and treble are connected b6 a brace and a

line, the6 co-bine to or- the !8N+ ST899.

Line Brace

LEDGER LIE!

L5+!5 LIN5S are short lines 'hich are added to e?tend the

range o the staf 'hen the notes are too lo' or too high to

be 'ritten on the staf.


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The notes in the -iddle o the range o the grand staf are B,

C, and +. The6 can be 'ritten on ledger lines in both bass

and treble stafs.

These notes are 'ritten diferentl6 b)t so)nd e?actl6 the

sa-e.

Lesson V Pg.%

Ledger Lines "Lo'er and &igh Notes$

#ore than one ledger line can be added to e?tend the )44er

and lo'er ranges o the grand staf. The ne?t highest notes o

the treble staf are !, 8, B, and C

The ne?t lo'er notes o the bass staf are 9, 5, + and C


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8ll the notes on the grand staf ro- the bass cle lo' C to

treble cle high C

Lesson VI

Pg.(

Note Val)es

0hile the 4lace-ent o the note on the staf indicates the

4itch, the d)ration o the note "ho' long the note is held$ is

deter-ined b6 the note >al)e.

8 0&EL5 NET5 is dra'n as an o4en o>al.

T'o &8L9 NET5S eF)al the d)ration o one 'hole note.


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9o)r @8T5 NET5S eF)al the d)ration o one 'hole note

Ste- e?tends downward on the let side 'hen the note

a44ears on or above the 3rd line o the staf.

Ste-s e?tend upwards on the right side 'hen the note

a44ears below the third line o the staf.

Lesson VII

Pg.*

#eas)re, Bar Line, and +o)ble Bar

#)sic is di>ided into eF)al 4arts b6 B8 LIN5S. The area

bet'een the t'o bar lines is called a #58S@5 or B8.

#eas)re or Bar

Bar Line Bar line

8 +E@BL5 B8 is 'ritten at the end o the 4iece o -)sic. It

is -ade )4 o one thin line and one thic7 line, 'ith the thic7

line al'a6s on the o)tside.


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+o)ble bar

En a grand staf, the bar lines and do)ble bar 4ass thro)gh

the entire staf.

Lesson VIII

Pg.

Ti-e Signat)re and Note Val)es

The TI#5 SI!N8T@5 a44ears at the beginning o the -)sic

ater the cle sign. It contains t'o n)-bers, one abo>e the

other.

The )44er n)-ber tells ho' -an6 beats " or co)nts$ are in

each -eas)re. The lo'er n)-ber indicates 'hat t64e o note

gets one beat. In this case the F)arter note.

In ti-e


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8 F)arter note is eF)al to one co)nt "or beat$. Co)nt "1, 2, 3,

$ and cla4 the rh6th- e>enl6 "once 4er beat$.

8 hal note is eF)al to t'o co)nts "or beats$. Co)nt and cla4

the rh6th- e>enl6 "holding 6o)r hands together or t'o

beats$.

8 'hole note is eF)al to o)r co)nts "or beats$. Co)nt andcla4 the rh6th- e>enl6 "hands together or o)r beats$.

Lesson I"

Pg./

0hole, &al, and )arter ests

#)sic is not onl6 -ade )4 o so)nds, b)t also the silence

bet'een so)nds. The d)ration o -)sical silence is

deter-ined b6 the >al)e o the 5ST.

8 0&EL5 5ST -eans to rest or an entire -eas)re. It hangs

do'n ro- the th line.

8 &8L9 5ST is eF)al to hal o a 'hole rest. It sits on the 3 rd

line.


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In ti-e

)arter rests are eF)al &al rest are eF)al 0hole rests

are

To one beat. To t'o beats. 5F)al to o)r beat

Lesson " Pg.1

Ti-e Signat)re

In ti-eG#eans the F)arter note recei>es one

beat.

#eans there are t'o beats 4er -eas)re.


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and both ha>e o)r as a botto- n)-ber, -eaning a

F)arter note recei>es one beat. The diference is has t'o

beats 'hile has o)r.

In ti-eG or H one beat

or H t'o beats

1 2 1 2 1 2 1

2

8 'hole rest is )sed or a 'hole -es)re o rest, e>en i there

are onl6 t'o beats in each -eas)re. In 'riting -)sic, a hal

rest and a 'hole note are ne>er )sed in ti-e.

Lesson "I

Pg.11

Ti-e Signat)re

In ti-eG

#eans the F)arter note recei>es

one beat

#eans there are three beats 4er

-eas)re.


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or H one beat

or H t'o beats

8 'hole rest is )sed or a 'hole -es)re o rest, e>en i there

are onl6 three beats in each -eas)re. In 'riting -)sic, a hal

rest and a 'hole note are ne>er )sed in ti-e.

, , all ha>e o)r as the botto- n)-ber, -eaning the

F)arter note al'a6s reci>es one beat.

The diference is thatG

has t'o beats has three beats

has o)r beats 4er -eas)re 4er -eas)re

4er -eas)re

Lesson "II

Pg.12

+otted &al Note

8 dot ater a note increases its >al)e b6 hal the original

>al)e


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H t'o beats

H three beats

In and , a hal note recei>es t'o beats. Beca)se a dot

ollo'ing a hal note increases its d)ration b6 one beat, a

dotted hal note has a >al)e o three beats. H J

Lesson "III

Pg.13 Ties and Sl)rs

8 TI5 joins t'o notes o the same 4itch b6 a c)r>ed line o>er

or )nder the notes. 5ach note :oined b6 a tie is held or its )ll


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>al)e b)t onl6 the Arst note is held or s)ng. The tied noteDs

>al)e is added to the >al)e o the Arst note.

The

Tie sho)ld al'a6s be 'ritten on the o44osite side ro- the

note ste-s.

8 SL@ smoothly connects t'o or -ore notes o diferent4itches b6 a c)r>ed line o>er or )nder the notes. There is no

brea7 in so)nd bet'een 4itches. This is al'a6s reerred to as

L5!8TE 4la6ing or singing.

A#RA LEE

0hen all the ste-s are in the sa-e direction, the sl)r is

'ritten on the side o44osite ro- that o the ste-s. 0hen the

ste- direction is -i?ed, the sl)r is 'ritten above the notes.

Lesson "IV

Pg.1

e4eat Sign, 1st and 2nd 5ndings


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T'o dots 4laced beore the do)ble bar indicates a 5P58T

SI!N. It -eans to go bac7 to the beginning and 4la6 or sing

the -)sic again.

e4eat signs so-eti-es a44ear in 4airs within a 4iece o

-)sic.

The Arst re4eat sign 'ill then ha>e the t'o dots 4laced ater

the do)ble bar. 0hen this occ)rs, ret)rn to the Arst re4eat

sign at the beginning o the section.

8nother 'a6 o indicating a re4eat is 'ith 1st and 2nd endings.

Pla6 or sing thro)gh the 1st ending to the re4eat sign, then go

bac7 to the beginning. 0hen re4eating, s7i4 the Arst ending

and 4la6 the 2nd.


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Lesson "V

Pg.1%

5ighth Notes0hen 6o) add a


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Lesson "VI

Pg.1(

5ighth ests

8n 5I!&T& 5ST is eF)al to hal the >al)e o a F)arter rest.

In , , ti-eG

T'o eighth rests eF)al one F)arter rest. H

9o)r eighth rests eF)al one hal rest. H

5ight eighth rests eF)al one 'hole rest. H

Notes or rests on beats 1, 2, 3 or are considered on the

beat . 0hen ta44ing 6o)r toe e>enl6, the beat is 'hen 6o)r

toe to)ches the


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Ene K T'o K Three K

9o)r K

Lesson "VII

Pg.1*

+otted )arter Note

e-e-berG a dot ater a note increases its d)ration b6 hal

the original >al)e. H t'o beats H three beats

In , , and , a F)arter note reci>es one beat. Beca)se a

dot ollo'ing a F)arter note increases its d)ration b6 beat,

a dotted F)arter note has a >al)eo 1 beats.

H

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