Regularly
occurring pattern of accented and unaccented beats
measure
One metrical
unit in music notation
bar
line
Vertical line
dividing the music into metrical units (measures)
double
bar line
Two vertical
parallel lines marking the end of the piece or a section
meter
signature
Symbol (usually
two numbers) found at the beginning of a piece that designates the
meter (also called time signature)
"Common
time" (4/4 time signature)
"Cut time"
or "alla breve" (2/2 time signature)
augmentation
dot
A dot placed
after a note to lengthen the note's value by one half
double
dot
A dot placed
after a note to lengthen the note's value by three fourths
tie
A
curved line joining two notes of the same pitch; indicates one note
is to be heard with a time value that is the sum of both notes
slur
A curved line
joining notes of different pitches; indicates the notes should be
performed in a smooth, connected manner
fermata
A symbol placed
above (or below) a note to indicate a hold or pause (of no specific
length)
anacrusis
(or pickup)
An incomplete
measure at the beginning of a piece (balanced with an incomplete
measure at the end)
tempo
Rate
of speed of the beat
metronome
A device for
accurately depicting/performing tempo
repeat
signs
Symbols specifying
that music is to be repeated from the beginning or from a previous
spot in the music; often designated by double dots and double lines
da
capo
Repeat
from the beginning
dal
segno
Repeat
from the sign ()
D.C.
al fine
Repeat from
the beginning and play to the word Fine (the end)
D.S.
al fine
Repeat
from the sign and play to the word Fine
articulation
Refers
to the manner in which notes are connected in a melody
legato
A
term, sometimes indicated by a slur, that tells the performer to perform
in a smooth, connected manner
staccato
A term, indicated
by a dot above or below a note, that tells the performer to play
in a detached manner