8th Note Parallel 3rds
A series of any amount or quality of blocked 3rd intervals that are played in one hand and move up or down in primarily 8th note rhythms.
8th Notes
Notes whose lengths are equal to one-eighth the value of a whole note or half the value of a quarter note.
8th Rests
Silence that equals the length of one 8th note.
Accents
Indications instructing the player to put special emphasis on notes.
Accidentals
Sharps, flats and naturals that do not appear in a key signature.
Bar Lines
Vertical lines on the staff that separate notated music into measures.
Blocked 3rds
Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 3rd of any quality.
Blocked 4ths
Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 4th of any quality.
Blocked 5ths
Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 5th of any quality.
Blocked 6ths
Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 6th of any quality.
Broken Chords
Chord tones played one note at a time that are not part of an accompaniment pattern.
Clef Changes
More than one clef used in a staff in a single piece or movement.
Compound Time Signature
A time signature where the fundamental beat is subdivided in groupings of three instead of two.
Contrary Motion
A type of texture where the contour of the notes in one hand is the exact opposite to that of the other hand as they play simultaneously.
Crescendo and Diminuendo
Indications instructing the player to play gradually louder (crescendo) or softer (diminuendo).
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.
Dominant Seventh Chords
Four-note chords comprised of the root, major 3rd, perfect 5th, and minor 7th.
Dotted Half Notes
Half notes whose lengths are increased by half; equal to three quarter notes.
Dotted Quarter Notes
Quarter notes whose lengths are increased by half; equal to three 8th notes.
Fermatas
Indications placed above or below notes instructing the player to hold those notes longer than their original notated length.
Forte
An indication instructing the player to play loudly.
Fortissimo
An indication instructing the player to play very loudly; louder than forte.
Grand Staff Notation
A type of notation that uses two standard five-line staves combined together with a brace; usually indicating right hand and left hand notes.
Hands Separate
A technique that involves only one hand playing at a time throughout most or all of a piece; used only at lower levels.
Imitation
A type of texture where one hand plays a series of notes that are mimicked in the other hand.
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.
Melodic 2nds
Two notes played in succession, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 2nd of any quality.
Melodic 3rds
Two notes played in succession, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 3rd of any quality.
Melodic 4ths
Two notes played in succession, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 4th of any quality.
Melodic 6ths
Two notes played in succession, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 6th of any quality.
Mezzo Forte
A simple melody line shared by both the right hand and the left hand.
Mezzo Piano
An indication instructing the player to play moderately soft; between mezzo forte and piano.
Parallel 3rds
A series of any amount or quality of blocked 3rd intervals that are played in one hand, and where both notes move up or down in parallel motion.
Piano
An indication instructing the player to play softly.
Quarter Notes
Notes whose lengths are equal to one-fourth the value of a whole note.
Quarter Rests
Silence that equals the length of one quarter note.
Right Hand Only
A simple piece that is played using only the right hand.
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.
Syncopation
Temporary displacement of established meter by the stressing of a weak beat.
Tenuto
A type of articulation indicating to the player that a given note should be held for its full value or slightly more.
Ties
Symbols indicating that two notes are to be played as one with the value equal to their sum.
Two Note Slurs
Two notes connected together smoothly where the second note is played softer and lighter.
Whole Rests
Silence that equals the length of one whole note or an entire measure in 4/4 or 3/4.
- Clap and Count
- Demonstrate
- Focus On Expressive Markings
- Hands Separate Practice
- Highlight Dynamic Contrasts
- Highlight the Contrast in Articulation
- Highlight the Contrasting Characters of Each Section
- Make Rhythmic Exercises Using Difficult Rhythms