16th Notes
Notes whose lengths are equal to one-sixteenth the value of a whole note or one quarter of a quarter note.
1st and 2nd Endings
Symbols that indicate different measures to play during repeated sections.
8th Notes
Notes whose lengths are equal to one-eighth the value of a whole note or half the value of a quarter note.
A Tempo
An Italian term meaning "in time"; an indication instructing the player to return to the original tempo after a deviation.
Accents
Indications instructing the player to put special emphasis on notes.
Accidentals
Sharps, flats and naturals that do not appear in a key signature.
Blocked Chords
Chord tones played together that are not part of an accompaniment pattern.
Chord Inversions
Chords with alternate ordering of their tones where the root is placed either in the middle or at the top of the chord.
Chromatic Scale
A scale comprised of only semitones which uses all 12 notes.
Clef Changes
More than one clef used in a staff in a single piece or movement.
Forte
An indication instructing the player to play loudly.
Intermediate Two Voices in One Hand
A type of texture where one or both hands play more than one voice at a time with large intervals, many hand positions, and complex rhythms.
Ledger Lines
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.
Legato
A type of articulation indicating the player to play smoothly and seamlessly, with the notes slightly overlapped.
Ritardando
An Italian term meaning "delaying"; an indication instructing the player to decrease speed, often gradually.
Sforzando
Indications instructing the player to play with sudden emphasis.
Staccato
A type of articulation indicating the player to play short and light; notes not held for their full value.
Sustain Pedal
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.
- Demonstrate
- Hands Separate Practice
- Play Small Segments
- Practice Scalar Passages in Rhythms
- Slow Practice