Multimedia Sound Production

Music Notation: Notes and Time Signatures

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 Agenda

 Theory and Conventions

 Note Values, Graphical Form and Naming Conventions
 Bars and Notation
 Associated Note Rests
 Time Signatures and Tempo

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 Theory and Conventions
 Musical notes are written on a Stave
 A stave is divided into note groups called Bars
 A musical note has Pitch and Duration
 The duration of a note is indicated by its graphical form
 The duration of a note is measured in Beats
 The number of notes each bar will contain depends on the note
duration and the Time Signature
 A common time signature is four beats to a bar
 The notes and rests in each bar must add up to maintain
the correct number of beats in each bar for the given time
signature

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 Musical Note Duration and Graphical Form

Graphical Form Value in Beats American Name Classical Name

4 Whole Note Semibreve

2 Half Note Minim

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 Musical Note Duration and Graphical Form

Graphical Form Value in Beats American Name Classical Name

1 Quarter Note Crotchet

The crochet or quarter note defines the basic pulse of the piece

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 Musical Note Duration and Graphical Form

Graphical Form Value in Beats American Name Classical Name

1/2 Eighth Note Quaver

1/4 Sixteenth Note Semi Quaver

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 Notes Written in Groups within a Bar

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 Time Signatures

4/4 Time “Common Time”

4
4

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 Time Signatures

2/4 Time ‘March’

2
4

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 Time Signatures

3/4 Time ‘Waltz’

3
4

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 Musical Rest Duration and Graphical Form

Note Rest

Semibreve
Symbol’s position
on bar-line indicates
the type of rest

Minim

Crochet

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 Musical Rest Duration and Graphical Form

Note Rest

Quaver

Semi Quaver

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 Semibreve and Minim Rests

Semibreve rest hangs from the fourth line

Minim rest sits on the third line

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 Dotted Notes and Rests
A dotted note or rest indicates that the note or rest duration is
increased by half of its value

Crochet = two quavers



Dotted crochet = three quavers 

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 Notes Rests

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 Notes Rests

Quavers joined with single bar

4
4

Semiquavers joined with double bar

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 Notes Rests

2
4

Complete the bars to maintain two - four time

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 Notes Rests

3
4

Complete the bars to maintain three - four time

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