America, the Beautiful by Dennis Alexander, Martha Mier, Samuel A. Ward

8th Notes

Rhythm

Notes whose lengths are equal to one-eighth the value of a whole note or half the value of a quarter note.

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Accidentals

Intervals

Sharps, flats and naturals that do not appear in a key signature.

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Blocked 5ths Accompaniment

Accompaniment Patterns

A type of accompaniment pattern that primarily uses repeating blocked 5ths in a single position with simple or slow-moving rhythms.

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Blocked 6ths

Intervals

Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 6th of any quality.

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Blocked Chords

Chords

Chord tones played together that are not part of an accompaniment pattern.

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Crescendo and Diminuendo

Expression

Indications instructing the player to play gradually louder (crescendo) or softer (diminuendo).

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Crossing Over Thumb

Hand and Finger Techniques

The physical motion of crossing fingers 2, 3, 4, or 5 over the thumb; used when playing scalar passages or outside of five finger scales.

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Crossing Thumb Under

Hand and Finger Techniques

The physical motion of crossing the thumb under fingers 2, 3, 4, or 5; used when playing scalar passages or outside of five finger scales.

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Dotted Quarter Notes

Rhythm

Quarter notes whose lengths are increased by half; equal to three 8th notes.

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Intermediate Single Note Accompaniment

Accompaniment Patterns

A type of accompaniment pattern where only one note is played at a time but with large intervals, many hand positions, and complex rhythms.

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Ledger Lines

Notes and Notation

Additional lines added above or below the staff in order to place very high or very low notes that wouldn't normally fit on the staff.

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Legato

Expression

A type of articulation indicating the player to play smoothly and seamlessly, with the notes slightly overlapped.

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Major Scales

Scales and Hand Positions

Commonly used diatonic scales with the following sequence of intervals: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.

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Melodic Octaves

Intervals

Two notes played in succession, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of an octave of any quality.

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Octave Higher or Octave Lower

Notes and Notation

Symbols that indicate playing a note or range of notes either an octave higher or lower than notated.

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Primary Chords

Chords

The three fundamental chords used in educational repertoire; the I, IV, V7 chords.

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Ritardando

Meter

An Italian term meaning "delaying"; an indication instructing the player to decrease speed, often gradually.

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Shifting Hand Positions

Hand and Finger Techniques

A technique that requires the player to pick up and move their hand to a new position; usually from a five finger scale to another.

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Sustain Pedal

Expression

Also called the damper pedal, it is the rightmost pedal on the piano and used to sustain notes by moving the dampers away from the strings.

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America, the Beautiful

Dennis Alexander, Martha Mier, Samuel A. Ward

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Elements

8th Notes

Accidentals

Blocked 5ths Accompaniment

Blocked 6ths

Blocked Chords

Crescendo and Diminuendo

Crossing Over Thumb

Crossing Thumb Under

Dotted Quarter Notes

Intermediate Single Note Accompaniment

Ledger Lines

Legato

Major Scales

Melodic Octaves

Octave Higher or Octave Lower

Primary Chords

Ritardando

Shifting Hand Positions

Sustain Pedal

Details