Fundamentals in Music

BEGINNERS’ LEARNING GUIDE

PIANO EDITION
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 INTRODUCTION
Music is a pattern of sounds combined by harmony and melody to create beauty of form
and express emotions.

Harmony is the simultaneous playing of two or more notes. While Melody is playing of
tones in procession.

DID YOU KNOW?

We can see music! We call it a musical notation. Once you imagined the musical sound
through counting, and symbolic representations you also start seeing music.

GOOD TO KNOW…
ANATOMY OF NOTES
Flag
Bar

Head
Stem

Let’s meet the Note family, Rest family, and their Siblings!
NOTE FAMILY
In music notation, the
duration of sound is shown
by the symbols we call
NOTE. The whole note is
worth the longest duration,
four beats.

The whole note breaks

down into two half notes
which are worth half as
much as the whole note, or
two beats.

The half notes break down

into two quarter notes
which are worth one quarter of a whole note, or one beat.

The quarter notes break down into two eighth notes which are worth one eighth of a whole
note, or 1/2 of a beat. The eighth notes break down into two sixteenth notes which are
worth one sixteenth of a whole note, or 1/4 of a beat.
REST FAMILY
In music notation, the duration of silence is indicated by the symbols to the right known
as a rest.

The whole rest is worth the

longest duration, four beats.
(Note that the black box is
below the line.)

The whole rest breaks down

into two half rests which are
worth half as much as the
whole rest, or two beats.

(Note that the black box is

above the line and looks like
a top hat.)

The half rests break down

into two quarter rests which are worth one quarter of a whole rest, or one beat.

The quarter rests break down into two eighth rests which are worth one eighth of a whole
rest, or 1/2 of a beat.

The eighth rests break down into two sixteenth rests which are worth one sixteenth of a
whole rest, or 1/4 of a beat.

THE SIBLINGS: FLATS AND SHARPS (ACCIDENTALS)

When a flat is added before a note, the tone of that note is lowered by
1/2 tone.

When a sharp is added before a note, the tone of that

note is raised by 1/2 tone.

The Natural Sign indicates that whatever sharp or flat in the key signature
or earlier in the measure is returned to the standard note.
GOOD TO KNOW…
HALF STEP AND WHOLE STEP
Half step is the smallest distance
between two notes. A half step above
that note will be the black key to its
upper right, while a half step below it
will be the black key to its upper left.
(NOTE: Each key is equivalent to half
step)

To find a whole step above the notes

E or B, simply count two keys to the
right: a whole step above E is the
black key to the right of the note F,
while a whole step above B is the
black key to the right of the note C.
(NOTE: two (2) keys are equivalent to
one (1) whole step)
 THE STAFF
A staff has 5 parallel lines and 4 spaces grouped together.
Some musicians use only a single
staff to play music. However,
pianists or vocal ensembles may
need a GRAND STAFF.

THE GRAND STAFF

Are two or more staffs combined.

BUT if the staff provided is not

enough room for the range of
notes an instrument play, then
ledger lines are used.

Ledger lines are small lines that are added above and below the staff to increase the
range of notation.

LEDGER
LINES
PARTS OF THE STAFF

TIME SIGNATURE used to designate

how many beats are in a measure and what
type of note gets the beat.

The top number indicates how

many beats are in the
measure.
CLEF
The bottom number indicates
what type of note gets the
beat.
G-CLEF - The circle of the clef centers around the G line.
F-CLEF - The dots of the clef
surrounds the F line.

DOUBLE BAR LINE = means to END

DOUBLE BAR LINE WITH 2 DOTS = means to REPEAT

Now, you’re ready to play the piano!

FINGER NUMBERS

EXCERCISES FOR THE FINGERS

5 4 3 5 4 3 2 1
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5

Follow the finger numbers from left to right then from right to left. Do
this at least 10 to 12 times before playing any song.

YELLOW = RIGHT HAND

GREEN = LEFT HAND
 RHYTHM
Is known as a term duration. To simplify, it tells how long or short a
sound is. Within this musical element, we have TEMPO which on the
other hand, tells how fast or slow should you play the music. To
simplify, it is about the speed or pace of a music.
Try this!

GOOD TO KNOW…
 DYNAMICS
Gives music a character which makes it more interesting. It is about the
VOLUME of each sound in a musical piece.

Try this!