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    Music Basics A quick reference & study guide for the rudiments of music
    Music Basics A quick reference & study guide for the rudiments of music
    Music Basics A quick reference & study guide for the rudiments of music
    Ebook216 pages1 hour

    Music Basics A quick reference & study guide for the rudiments of music

    By Robert Hoare

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    About this ebook

    Music Basics is a reference and study guide for the rudiments of music. It is specifically aimed at the needs of music teachers, high school music students and musicians seeking a thorough understanding of the basics of the musical language. The book is based on the author’s 35 years of experience as a professional musician and music teacher. 
    The rudiments of music are explained in as few words as possible and in simple language. There are also exercises and practical suggestions for instrumental study.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRobert Hoare
    Release dateNov 27, 2017
    ISBN9781386467014
    Music Basics A quick reference & study guide for the rudiments of music

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      Book preview

      Music Basics A quick reference & study guide for the rudiments of music - Robert Hoare

      Music Basics

      A quick reference & study guide for the rudiments of music

      Revised second edition 2018

      FOREWORD

      This book is a study guide for the rudiments of music. It is specifically aimed at the needs of music instructors, high school music students and young musicians seeking a thorough understanding of the basics of the musical language.

      In as few words as possible, the basics of the rudiments of music are outlined in simple language along with practical suggestions for instrumental study. It is important that each section of this book is thoroughly understood before moving on to the next section.

      Practice is the only way to master the rudiments. Answers for the exercises at the end of each chapter are provided in the back of the book and I would encourage music instructors to expand upon these exercises as needed and students to check with their teachers for additional explanations.

      Robert Hoare

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      Music Basics

      A quick reference & study guide for the rudiments of music

      FOREWORD

      CHAPTER I

      BASIC NOTATION

      EXERCISES FOR CHAPTER I

      CHAPTER 2

      TIME & RHYTHM

      EXERCISES FOR CHAPTER 2

      CHAPTER 3

      DIATONIC SCALES

      EXERCISES FOR CHAPTER 3

      CHAPTER 4

      INTERVALS

      EXERCISES FOR CHAPTER 4

      CHAPTER 5

      TRANSPOSITION

      EXERCISES FOR CHAPTER 5

      CHAPTER 6

      CHORDS and ELEMENTARY HARMONY

      EXERCISES FOR CHAPTER 6

      APPENDIX I (to Chapter 2)

      AN INTRODUCTION TO TUPLETS & POLYRHYTHMS

      APPENDIX II (to Chapter 3)

      COMMON MODES

      APPENDIX III (to Chapter 6)

      AN INTRODUCTION TO HARMONIC PROGRESSIONS

      APPENDIX IV

      A BRIEF LOOK AT THE NATURE OF MUSICAL SOUND

      APPENDIX V

      ABBREVIATIONS, SYMBOLS AND MUSICAL TERMS

      EXERCISE ANSWERS

      CHAPTER 2 TIME & RHYTHM

      CHAPTER 3 DIATONIC SCALES

      CHAPTER 4 INTERVALS

      CHAPTER 5 TRANSPOSITION

      CHAPTER 6 ELEMENTARY HARMONY

      Acknowledgements

      About the author

      CHAPTER I

      BASIC NOTATION

      Musical sounds are notated with symbols called NOTES, which are written on or between five horizontal lines. These are collectively called a STAFF or a STAVE.

      The NOTES are oval in shape. They can be hollow or solid. STEMS can be attached and DOTS written beside them to determine their individual durations. RESTS are the symbols used to notate silences.

      THE NOTES

      (North American system)

      a. b. c. d.

      a. Whole note

      b. Half notes

      c. Quarter notes

      d. Eighth notes

      e. f. g.

      e. Sixteenth notes

      f. Thirty-second notes

      g. Sixty-fourth notes

      ––––––––

      fig.1.01 (a-g)

      ––––––––

      When two or more hooked stemmed notes follow one another, the hooks are joined to create a straight line between the notes

      fig.1.02

      ––––––––

      As the names of the individual NOTES suggests, there is a mathematical relationship between their relative values. The chart below will make this clear.

      fig.1.03

      ––––––––

      Fig.1.03 above shows the relationship between the primary note values. Starting with the whole note, each successive note value is divided by 2. Think of a birthday cake. If there are only two guests, the whole cake would be divided into 2 halves. If there are four guests, it is divided into quarters. If there are eight guests, it is divided into eighths etc. Using all of the note values seen above the cake could potentially be divided into 64 pieces!

      EXTENDED DURATIONS

      The value of a note can be extended in two ways:

      a. By using a TIE, two notes can be joined to combine their values:

      Two quarter notes are joined with a tie. The duration would therefore be doubled.

      fig.1.04

      ––––––––

      b. Placing a DOT after a note increases its value by one half:

      fig.1.05

      ––––––––

      Two dots after a note increase its duration by three quarters:

      fig.1.06

      ––––––––

      THE STAFF

      The STAFF (or STAVE, as it is sometimes called) is a convention for reading notes. The lines and spaces represent musical pitches. Moving upwards on the staff the pitches become higher, while moving downwards on the staff the pitches become lower (see below).

      As there are of course many pitches, the number of lines and spaces on the page had to be limited, otherwise it would be simply too difficult for musicians to read. There are usually two separate staves of five lines and four spaces each. These two staves are joined by bar lines. A middle line between these two staves is used in small segments when necessary (see below leger lines). This middle line is called middle C and from this point all the other pitches can be found. The first seven letters of the alphabet are used to name the lines and spaces:

      A, B, C, D, E, F, G.

      Above are the pitches as they would be seen in the (upper) treble and (lower) bass clefs (see fig. 1.08 and 1.09).

      fig.1.07

      ––––––––

      CLEFS are signs at the beginning of a staff used to indicate which pitches the staff lines and spaces represent. All of the CLEFS in Western music are relative to the pitch middle C mentioned above. The most common clefs are the TREBLE CLEF and the BASS CLEF. You will often hear musicians saying they play in the treble clef or the bass clef (see Chapter 5 Transposition). The treble clef is also called a G CLEF because it curls around the G line above middle C. This simply means the second line of the staff is the G above middle C:

      fig.1.08

      ––––––––

      The BASS CLEF (also called an F CLEF) has two dots enclosing the fourth line. This line is always the F below middle C:

      fig.1.09

      ––––––––

      Two other clefs are commonly found in orchestral music: the ALTO and TENOR clefs. Both of these are called C clefs. Middle C is on the third and fourth line respectively:

      fig.1.10

      ––––––––

      If pitches go above or below the ranges within the staves, short line segments are added as extensions to the staff. These are called LEGER LINES and they are simply a continuation of the staff:

      fig.1.11

      ––––––––

      WRITING NOTES

      The stems of notes written on the staff go upwards on the right side of the note if they are below the third line. The stems go downwards on the left side of the note when they are above the third line. Notes written on the third line can have stems which go in either direction:

      fig.1.12

      ––––––––

      The hooks on eighth and sixteenth notes etc. usually go to the right. When there is more than one note value, the hooks are turned to the left:

      fig.1.13

      ––––––––

      If several hooked notes are joined together, then the stems should go in the direction of the note in the group which is furthest from the third line:

      fig.1.14

      ––––––––

      If two melodic lines occur on one staff, the stems of the upper notes should go upwards and the stems of the lower notes downwards:

      fig.1.15

      ––––––––

      When writing notes, the aim is always to make reading

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