8th Notes
Notes whose lengths are equal to one-eighth the value of a whole note or half the value of a quarter note.
Accents
Indications instructing the player to put special emphasis on notes.
Broken Octave Accompaniment
A type of accompaniment pattern that primarily uses broken octave intervals with simple or slow-moving rhythms.
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.
Crescendo and Diminuendo
Indications instructing the player to play gradually louder (crescendo) or softer (diminuendo).
Crossing Over Thumb
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.
Crossing Thumb Under
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.
Fermatas
Indications placed above or below notes instructing the player to hold those notes longer than their original notated length.
Hand Crossing
A technique that involves one hand crossing over or under the other.
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.
Octave Higher and Octave Lower
Symbols that indicate playing a note or range of notes either an octave higher or lower than notated.
Ritardando
An Italian term meaning "delaying"; an indication instructing the player to decrease speed, often gradually.
- Demonstrate
- Highlight Dynamic Contrasts
- Highlight the Contrast in Articulation
- Play Small Segments
- Slow Practice