Dennis Alexander

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

8th Notes

Silence that equals the length of one 8th note.

8th Rests

An Italian term meaning "in time"; an indication instructing the player to return to the original tempo after a deviation.

A Tempo

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

Blocked 5ths Accompaniment

A type of accompaniment pattern that primarily uses broken 5th intervals with simple or slow-moving rhythms.

Broken 5ths Accompaniment

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

Crescendo and Diminuendo

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

Extended Hand Positions

Indications placed above or below notes instructing the player to hold those notes longer than their original notated length.

Fermatas

Simple five-note scales whose notes fit within a comfortable hand shape; applied when more than one such scale appears in a piece.

Five Finger Scales

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

Melodic 6ths

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

Mezzo Forte

An indication instructing the player to play moderately soft; between mezzo forte and piano.

Mezzo Piano

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

Octave Higher or Octave Lower

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

Ritardando

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

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.

Sustain Pedal

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

Accidentals

A series of notes played with predominantly 8th note rhythms that are shared between both hands and form a single line melody.

8th Note Melody Between Hands

Silence that equals the length of one half note.

Half Rests

Silence that equals the length of one quarter note.

Quarter Rests

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

Quarter Notes

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

Half Notes

Whole Notes

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

Ties

Half notes whose lengths are increased by half; equal to three quarter notes.

Dotted Half Notes

An accompaniment pattern that uses a series of broken intervals of any distance or quality.

Reflections

Dennis Alexander

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