Basic Level

The Staff

1. A note is a symbol used to represent a sound. The notes are placed on a series of
five horizontal lines called a staff.

2. The number of lines on a staff should be counted from the bottom upwards.
The first line is therefore called the inferior line and the fifth line is called the
superior line. The spaces are also counted in the same manner.

lines spaces

3. It can therefore be stated that a staff is composed of five lines and four spaces.
The position of each note determines the PITCH of each sound. The higher the
note is placed on the staff, the higher the sound. The lower the note is placed on
the staff, the lower the sound.

4. Notes that are written above or below the staff are separated, and distinguished by
ledger lines.

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Treble and Bass Clef

5. A clef is a sign placed at the beginning of a staff to determine the names of the
notes. This clef gives the name to the note placed on the same line. From this
point on the staff, we can name all the notes above and below. Music notes are
named after the first seven letters of the alphabet, from A to G. Based on their
position on the staff, they can represent the entire range of musical sound.

6. The clefs most commonly used are called the TREBLE and BASS clef.

7. As shown in the example above, the treble clef circles the line on which the note
G is placed. The two dots of the bass clef surround the line on which the note F
is placed.

Note: It is strongly suggested to learn the sequence of notes by memory in order to find any
notes on the staff.

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8. By using these two references, we can then locate the other notes on the staff
found on the lines and in the spaces. Below you will find all the notes found on
the lines and spaces.

E G B D F F A C E

G B D F A A C E G

ATTENTION: The notes can be remembered in many different fashions such as:

LINES of Treble Clef: Every, Good, Boy, Deserves, Fudge

SPACES of Treble Clef: spell FACE

LINES of Bass Clef: Good, Boys, Deserve, Fudge, Always

SPACES of Bass Clef: All, Cars, Eat, Gas

9. To avoid difficulty in reading the notes, do not write the name of the notes under
each one.

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 EXERCISES

A) Name the following notes found in the treble clef and the bass clef.

1)

2)

B) Write the following notes found in the treble clef.

1) G on a line 6) E in a space
2) F on a line 7) C in a space
3) F in a space 8) E on a line
4) B on a line 9) A on a space
5) G in a space 10) D on a line

C) Write the following notes found in the bass clef.

1) D on a line 6) A in a space
2) G in a space 7) G on a line
3) F on a line 8) E in a space
4) B on a line 9) C in a space
5) A on a line 10) B in a space

Note: To improve on your sight-reading skills (note-reading skills), do similar exercises. Try
to read the notes as fast as you can without respecting the rythm. You can also use
musical pieces to improve your sight-reading of notes.

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Note Values

10. Each note represents a duration as well as a sound depending on its position on
the staff.

11. The notes will always be placed in a line/space sequence in whatever form.
If however, we want to add a stem to the notes, it is important to place them
correctly. If the note is placed below the third line, the stem is placed on the right
side pointing upwards. If the note is placed above the third line, the stem is placed
on the left side pointing downwards. If the note is on the third line, the stem can
be placed in either position.

12. There are several types of notes. Below are the most commonly used:

whole note

half note

quarter note

eighth note

sixteenth note

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 13. The structure begins with the WHOLE note for it is the longest of duration of
this table.

14. To simplify your musical reading, certain notes group together to complete the
duration of time. A beam is used to join these notes together.

( )
( )

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 EXERCISES

A) Indicate by using 1 note, the equivalent to the following group of notes:

1) 5)

2) 6)

3) 7)

4)

B) Write other notes that equal the same value as the notes given.

1) = ________________ 3) = __________________

2) = _________________ 4) = __________________

C) Write the number that correctly completes the sentence.

Remember your note tree:

1) There are ____ half notes in a whole note.

2) There are ____ quarters in a whole note.
3) There are ____ quarters in a half note.
4) There are ____ sixteenth notes in a whole note.
5) There are ____ eighth notes in a quarter note.
6) There are ____ eighth notes in a half note.
7) There are ____ eighth notes in a whole note.
8) There are ____ sixteenth notes in a quarter note.

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Value of Rests

15. To represent silence, there exist different types of rests. Below are
the most used.

Whole-rest

Half-rest

Quarter-rest

Eighth-rest

Sixteenth-rest

16. Each sign is equivalent to its corresponding note; therefore, it is worth the same
value. The whole rest is worth two half rests and so on.

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 EXERCISES

A) Complete the following examples by using a rest.

1) = __________ 4) = __________

2) = __________ 5) = __________

3) = __________ 6) = __________

B) Indicate by using 2 rest equivalent to the examples below.

1) = __________ 3) = __________

2) = __________ 4) = __________

C) Complete the following sentences by adding in the correct number.

1) There are _____ quarter-rests in a whole-rest.

2) There are _____ half-rests in a whole-rest.
3) There are _____ sixteenth-rests in a quarter-rest.
4) There are _____ eighth-rests in a quarter-rest.
5) There are _____ quarter-rests in a half-rest.
6) There are _____ sixteenth-rests in a half-rest.
7) There are _____ eighth-rests in a half-rest.
8) There are _____ sixteenth-rests in a whole-rest.
9) There are _____ sixteenth-rests in a eighth-rest.

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Time Signature

17. Music is divided into equal parts by bar lines. The area between the two bar lines
is called a measure or bar. Measures may contain notes, rests or a combination of
both.

18. A DOUBLE BAR is written to indicate the end of a piece of music. It is

constructed by one thin and one thick line, with the thick line always on the
outside.

19. The number of beats in each measure usually remains the same throughout the
entire piece. This underlying beat per measure is represented by the TIME
SIGNATURE which is composed of two numbers, one on top and the other on
the bottom placed at the very beginning of the musical piece immediately after
the clef.

Note: The key signature will be studied in Level one.

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20. The time signature appears at the beginning of the music after the clef sign. It is
made up of two numbers; one on top of the other.

the upper number tells how many beats (or counts) are in each
measure. In this example, 4.

the lower number tell what type of note receives the beat (1).
In this example, a quarter note.

21. The time signature of 4/4 can be represented by this sign as well. The C is know
as COMMON TIME.

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 EXERCISES

A) Complete the following measures by adding one or more notes.

B) Complete the following measures by adding one or more rests.

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Repeat Signs

22. A double bar-line preceded by two dots instructs us to repeat the preceding
passage.

23. If, you must repeat the passage at the beginning of the piece, you only place the
double bar-line at the end of the musical passage.

24. If, in the repeated passage, you had to replace one or several of the last measures
by other measures, you would use endings. 1st or 2nd endings are used. It
would be indicated like this:

Therefore, you would play this section as follows: measure 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 5, and 6.

25. If you have to repeat a larger section of a musical piece, there are two other means
of repeating sections using the following symbols:

The two letters D.S. (dal segno) are used when the repetition is intended from the sign
situated at a certain section. The two letters D.C. (da capo) are used when the
repetition is intended to be from the beginning of the musical piece.

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 26. The two symbols above are often accompanied with AL FINE or by TO CODA.

a) AL FINE indicates the end of the piece. For example:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

This passage would be played in this fashion; measure 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 1, 2,

3, and 4.

b) TO CODA indicates to play the repeat section until the symbol Dal Segno,
which is connected to the CODA section, the ending of the piece. A CODA is a
tail section to also indicate where the music will come to an end.

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 EXERCISES

A) What sign would you use to repeat a definite section of a musical piece?

________________________________________________________________

B) What does D.C. mean?

________________________________________________________________

C) What does D.S. al Fine mean?

________________________________________________________________

D) Write the order in which the numbered bars/measures are played?

________________________________________________________________

E) Explain in your own words the purpose of 1st and 2nd endings?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

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Dynamics

27. A sound can be piano (soft) or forte (loud). However, within this range of
opposites there exists other dynamics.

Terms Symbols Meaning

pianississimo ppp very, very, soft
pianissimo pp very soft
piano p soft
mezzo piano mp medium soft
mezzo forte mf medium loud
forte f loud
fortissimo ff very loud
fortississimo fff the loudest possible

crescendo cres. or gradually increasing in loudness

decrescendo decres. or gradually decreasing from loud to soft

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 EXERCISES

A) Indicate by circling the symbol that represents medium soft after defining
the following dynamics. ( symbol + definition ).

1) mp = _________

2) f = __________

3) mf = __________

4) ff = __________

B) Indicate by circling the symbol that represents loud after defining

the following dynamics. ( symbol + definition )

1) mp = __________

2) f = __________

3) p = __________

4) pp = ___________

C) Describe the meaning of each symbol?

a) _________________________

b) _________________________

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 EXERCISES

D) Arrange the following list of dynamics from loudest to softest:

f
pp
mf _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
ff
mp
p

E) Using the dynamic signs that you know, add the appropriate signs in the spaces
provided.

Reveille !!! sounds the bugle is playing __________ loudly, as the sun rises. “Good
Morning” says Sgt. Bloggins” time to fall in for breakfast. All the Band cadets fall in
moderately softly__________.
Sgt. Bloggins gives the command “Attention” very loudly __________. The cadets now
are absolutely awake as they march off to the mess singing softly__________ as they
march. The mess hall is a buzz with moderately loud chatter from the other cadets. Sgt.
Bloggins very softly ___________ walks up and down supervising the cadets. Off in the
distance the very soft _________ sound of thunder can be heard. As it nears, the sounds
becomes louder like a great big crescendo ______________. The rain softly
___________ taps on the roof of the mess. And gradually it gets louder, and soon
becomes very loud __________. The cadets are all finished breakfast and await the wet
march back to their barracks talking and laughing moderately loud ___________. As
they form up out side of the mess, their feet make moderately soft __________ noises
in the mud. On the march back to barracks the cadets now must sing very loudly
____________ to be heard over the driving rain and thunder about them. As they
round the corner of the building Sgt. Bloggins dismisses the group. They all run very
loudly into the dry and warm barracks where a decrescendo _____________ comes
over the damp cadets as they now rest very softly_________ on their beds awaiting the
very loud ________ booming voice of their Sgt. And the day goes on.

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 REVIEW EXAM – Level Basic

A) How many lines are on a staff? ______________________________________

B) How many spaces are on a staff? _____________________________________

C) What are the lines called that are used for notes located above or below the staff?
_______________________________________________________________

D) Write the abbreviations and the meaning of each dynamic:

Dynamic Sign Meaning

mezzo piano
piano
fortissimo
mezzo forte
pianissimo
forte

E) How many :
quarter rests in a half rest __________________________________________
eighth rests in a whole note _________________________________________
half rests in a whole note ___________________________________________
quarter notes in a whole rest ________________________________________
eighth notes in a half rest __________________________________________
eighth rests in a whole note _________________________________________
quarter notes in a whole note _______________________________________
sixteenth notes in a eighth rest ______________________________________
quarter notes in a whole rest ________________________________________
eighth notes in a quarter note _______________________________________
eighth notes in a half note __________________________________________
eighth rests in a half note __________________________________________

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 REVIEW EXAM – Level Basic

F) Write the correct note name under each note on the staff:

G) Place the dynamics in order from softest to loudest.

f p mf pp ff mp

_____________________________________________

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