24 Etudes Op. 29

Henri Bertini

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

Accidentals

Sometimes called upbeats or pickup notes; a note or series of notes that precede and give stress to the first downbeat of a piece.

Anacrusis

A time signature where the fundamental beat is subdivided in groupings of three instead of two.

Compound Time Signature

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

Crescendo and Diminuendo

Notes that are tied for extended periods, often over several measures.

Held Notes

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.

Ledger Lines

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

Legato

A symbol indicating that a section should be repeated.

Repeat Sign

A type of articulation indicating the player to play short and light; notes not held for their full value.

Staccato

A series of blocked octaves that are played one hand at a time and where both notes move up or down in parallel motion.

Parallel Octaves

A type of waltz accompaniment pattern that uses intermediate skills like shifting, extending, and multiple voices, but without octave leaps.

Intermediate Waltz Accompaniment

A sign placed in front of a note that raises its pitch by a half step.

Sharp

A sign placed in front of a note that returns its pitch back to normal (returning to a white key).

Natural

A sign placed in front of a note that lowers its pitch by a half step.

Flat

Two notes connected together smoothly where the second note is played softer and lighter.

Two Note Slurs

Hand positions that require stretching beyond a five finger scale; usually to play intervals that are 6ths or greater.

Extended Hand Positions

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.

Shifting Hand Positions

Notes whose lengths are equal to one-fourth the value of a whole note.

Quarter Notes

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

Dotted Quarter Notes

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

8th Notes

Symbols indicating that two notes are to be played as one with the value equal to their sum.

Ties

Silence that equals the length of one 8th note.

8th Rests

Indications instructing the player to play with sudden emphasis.

Sforzando

A sign that tells the player to play gradually louder.

Crescendo

A sign that tells the player to play gradually softer.

Diminuendo

An indication instructing the player to play softly.

Piano

A simple melody line shared by both the right hand and the left hand.

Mezzo Forte

An indication instructing the player to play loudly.

Forte

Indications instructing the player to put special emphasis on notes.

Accents

Symbols that indicate different measures to play during repeated sections.

Etude in A Minor Op. 29, No. 9

Henri Bertini

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