Basics treble and bass clef A note about taking notes I will post powerpoints on my website for study andor review You should STILL take notes during class You may print powerpoints ID: 759701
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Slide1
Music Theory
Introduction
Basics – treble and bass clef
Slide2A note about taking notes--
I will post
powerpoints
on my website for study and/or review.
You should STILL take notes during class.
You may print
powerpoints
to keep in your notebook – print on “black and white,” and not “greyscale.”
I recommend using one piece of
lined paper
per one piece of
manuscript paper
for each class.
How to know what to write down:
If it’s
underlined
with its definition
If it’s confusing to you.
If I tell you it’s important to know.
Write smart notes – paraphrase!
If you’re not sure, just ask.
Slide3Why are we doing this?
Music
notation
is the art of recording music in written form.
Music
theory
is the study of music
notation
.
The goal: if you can read it, you can hear it. If you can hear it, you can reproduce it.
Slide4Why are we starting with the easy stuff?
We need a common language.
Slide5How do we record music in the written form?
EVERY musical symbol relates to either pitch or time.
Pitch
= the highness or lowness of a sound (in physics: think frequency)
Time
= the “when,” the “for how long,” the “how many times.”
Intensity
= how strong, how loud, how soft etc.
Just remember: “Modern music notation is a product of centuries of transformation…and it is neither efficient nor intuitive!” – Toby Rush (
tobyrush.com
) – great
infographs
!
Slide6Today’s goal:
To identify the relative “lowness” or “highness” of a pitch by observing its location on the staff.
AKA
To identify various pitches.
Slide7The anatomy of sheet music
Read left to right, like a book.Clef, time signature, key signature = set the stage.Notes : letters :: melody : sentenceDouble bar line = the end
Slide8The anatomy of a musical note
Name the various parts of these notes: draw/write this down Notes become pitches when we place them on the staff.
Slide9Building blocks
Every pitch has its spot on the staff. Staff: 5 lines and 4 spaces on which we write our pitches If a note is:Higher on the staff = higher in pitch. Lower on the staff = lower in pitch.
Slide10IMPORTANT:
Pitches exist on lines and spaces, alternating when in order, stepwise.Line notes = bead on a string.Space notes = meatball sandwiches.Practice: Draw one filled-in note head on each line and space of your staff, starting at the top, in descending order. 2.Stop when you’ve drawn a note head on the bottom line of the staff. Then, compare with the person next to you. Check: how many note heads did you draw?
Slide11Example:
These pitches do not move in stepwise motion.Practice: Draw these pitches on your staff, leaving space between. Do not draw any stems.Then, draw any and all pitches that were skipped. Check: compare with your neighbor, point out any mistakes.
Slide12Now add stems
Below the 3rd line: stems drawn up and to the right (d)On or above the 3rd line: stems drawn down and to the left (P)Stems: make sure they are “Mama Bear” – not too long, not too short. Just right.Practice: draw all of these notes.
Slide13Now we have to name these pitches that we’ve drawn.
Slide14The Musical Alphabet
Every pitch has a name:
A – B – C – D – E – F – G
All As sound the same
All
Bs
sound the same
Etc.
The musical alphabet is cyclical. So, when you reach the end, you start over again at the beginning.
Question: what pitch comes after G?
Slide15The Musical Alphabet
When pitches
ascend
step by step,
they follow the musical alphabet forwards.
When pitches
descend
step by step,
they follow the musical alphabet BACKWARDS.
Question: which am I playing on the piano?
ABCDEFG
-OR-
GFEDCBA?
Slide16Let’s start with the treble clef
Why? Most common, young children, etc.Treble: higher pitchesAlso called G Clef for 2 reasons: write this down 1. It kind of looks like a G 2. The swirl of the clef shows us where G exists on the staff…
The evolution of the treble clef (probably)
Slide17Wait: the swirl shows us where G is?
Yes!The swirl outlines the spot on the clef where one can always find G.“Miss Gothers, it starts on E! That’s weird!” Yes. Relax.
Slide18Practice time
On your manuscript paper, practice drawing 6 treble clefs.
Slide19Okay, I can find G. What about A through F?
Remember, as pitches get higher by step, we follow the musical alphabet forwardsAs pitches get lower by step, we follow the musical alphabet backwards.So, if you know where G is, you can use the alphabet to find any other note.
Slide20Sometimes that takes too long.
Finding G and counting up or down is inefficient.Until the staff is second-nature, there are two other tricks:Line vs. Space.
Slide21Treble Clef Lines
How many lines are there on the staff?The line trick has ___ words because there are ___ lines on the staff. Flips Dad Before GarbageEmptyNote – use the trick from the bottom to the top (think: Meghan Trainor)
Slide22Treble Clef Spaces
How many spaces are there on the staff?The space trick has ___ letters because the staff has ___ spaces.Space is for FACE E C AF Notice – use the trick from the bottom to the top (think: Meghan Trainor)
Slide23This must become second-nature
Slide24Practice: Around the World
Level 1: Treble Clef
Slide25We also have a bass clef
Why? 88 keys, low voices…Bass: lower pitchesAlso called F Clef for 2 reasons: 1. It kind of looks like a F 2. The dots of the clef shows us where F exists on the staff…
The evolution of the bass clef (probably)
Slide26Wait: the dots shows us where F is?
Yes!The big dot is drawn on the spot of the staff where one can always find F. The other two dots surround F“Miss Gothers, it starts on G! That’s weirder!” Yes. Relax.
Slide27Practice time
On your manuscript paper, practice drawing 6 bass clefs.
Slide28Okay, I can find F. What about G through E?
Remember, as pitches get higher by step, we follow the musical alphabet forwards
As pitches get lower by step, we follow the musical alphabet backwards.
So, if you know where F is, you can use the alphabet to find any other note.
Slide29Sometimes that takes too long.
Finding F and counting up or down is inefficient.Until the staff is second-nature, there are two other tricks:Line vs. Space.
Slide30Bass Clef Lines
How many lines are there on the staff? Always Fine Do BoysGoodNotice – use the trick from the bottom to the top (think: Meghan Trainor)
Slide31Treble Clef Spaces
How many spaces are there on the staff? Grass Eat CowsAll Notice – use the trick from the bottom to the top (think: Meghan Trainor)
Slide32This must ALSO become second-nature
Slide33Why do we need clefs?
Without seeing a clef, these pitches could be:Treble: G and CBass: B and ENotes do not have meaning without clefs.
Slide34Practice: Around the World
Level 2: Bass Clef
Level 3: Either Clef