This section focuses on basic terms and principles needed to start learning music theory.
Two of the most fundamental building blocks of music are rhythm and pitch.
Rhythm refers to a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound.
Pitch refers to how high or low a sound is perceived by a listener, directly influenced by the sound’s frequency, or number of wave cycles per seconds. Musical pitches occur when the frequency of a sound remains constant.
An octave represents a 2:1 relationship between 2 frequencies. Perceptually, pitches that are an octave apart share a common chroma, or the direct perceptual quality often described as a pitch’s “color”.
In Western Music, octaves are divided into 12 equal units of distance, each unit representing the smallest acceptable distance between notes. This minimum distance is referred to as a semitone or half-step. Together, all 12 notes make up the chromatic scale.
The Musical Alphabet consists of the 7 letters A, B, C, D, E, F, & G. The remaining 5 notes that make up chromatic scale are called sharps (#’s) and flats (♭’s)
Sharps and flats are best understood using a one-octave range on a piano keyboard. The keyboard consists of 7 white keys and 5 black keys. Each white key represents a letter from the musical alphabet. Black keys can be referred to by either of 2 names – their sharp name or flat name.
A sharp is when a white key is raised by one half-step.
A flat is when a white key is lowered by one half-step.
Here is a list of sharp/flat equivalency:
- C# = D♭
- D# = E♭
- F# = G♭
- G# = A♭
- A# = B♭
Whether we call a black key using its sharp or flat name will depend on the musical and functional context. All you need to know for now is the 2 different names that each of the 5 black keys can be called.
This pattern of 7 white keys and 5 black keys that fits within a one octave distance continues to repeat up (and down) the range of the keyboard.
Note: The white keys G and A are adjacent to each other, as the last letter of the musical alphabet is G, and the pattern continues to repeat again starting on A.
Musical notation is a graphical representation of instructions that inform musicians of how to perform a composition or musical idea. There are several common forms of musical notation:
- Standard notation on 5-line musical staves
- Piano Roll (which typically only appears on computer screens)
- Tablature (for stringed instruments)
Standard notation allows for incredibly detailed representations of a composition, and therefore is the most suitable form to understand the nuances of music theory. Some of the most fundamental aspects of standard notation include:
The musical staff is a canvas for musical composition, consisting of 5 horizontal lines. Each line of the staff represents a different pitch. Notes are the circular “dots” that are placed on the lines or spaces between lines to represent that particular pitch. In order to determine the pitches assigned to each line or space, we must first designate a clef to the staff.
The treble staff is indicated be the clef symbol below, and is used for many instruments (piano, violin, flute, oboe, clarinets, saxophone, trumpet, cornet, vibraphone, mandolin, recorder, guitar, and many more)
The bass staff is indicated by the clef symbol below, and is used for instruments that have low ranges (bass guitar, double bass, cello, trombone, tuba, piano)
The grand staff consists of 2 staves, the top staff using treble clef, and the bottom staff using bass clef. The grand staff captures a very large range, and is ideal for instruments that have large ranges (piano, organ, keyboards, celeste, harp, accordion, marimba, and more)
A piano roll is a form of musical notation used in most modern DAW’s (digital audio workstations software), and refers to a graphical display of and means of manually entering and editing MIDI note data, including pitch, length, and velocity of notes.
Let’s continue exploring the terms and concepts pertaining to rhythm.
Beats represent the fundamental rhythmic pulses in a section or piece of music.
Measures, or bars, are the rhythmic containers that hold beats. The number of beats that each measure must hold is determined by the time signature. Measures are separated from one another by adding vertical lines through the staff, called barlines.
Time Signatures are placed at the beginning of a section or piece of music, and consist of 2 number stacked vertically like a fraction. The top number indicates the number of beats that will fit into each measure. The bottom number indicates which note value is equivalent to 1 beat. (more on note values below)
Although related, meter and time signatures are distinct concepts in music. Meter pertains to the fundamental rhythmic structure of a composition, characterized by a recurring beat pattern. In contrast, time signatures are symbols employed to indicate and delineate the meter in a musical work.
The speed in which a section or piece of music is played is called the tempo. Tempos are indicated by a BPM (beats per minute) value. Tempos can also be represented using tempo markings, which are typically Italian words that indicate particular BPM ranges, and at times stylistic instructions for how notes should be articulated (Andante, Allegro, Maestoso, Presto)
Although related, meter and time signatures are distinct concepts in music. Meter pertains to the fundamental rhythmic structure of a composition, characterized by a recurring beat pattern. In contrast, time signatures are symbols employed to indicate and delineate the meter in a musical work.
Duple meter is a musical meter characterized by a recurring pattern of two beats per measure. The first beat is typically accented, and the second beat is less emphasized. Many popular music genres, such as rock, pop, and hip-hop, are often composed in duple meter.
Triple meter is a musical meter characterized by a recurring pattern of three beats per measure. The first beat is typically accented, and the second and third beats are less emphasized. Waltzes, minuets, and scherzos are examples of musical genres that are often composed in triple meter.
Complex meter is a term used in music to refer to a rhythmic structure that does not fit easily into a standard duple or triple meter. It is characterized by irregular groupings of beats and often features a changing rhythmic pattern. Some examples of complex meter include 5/4, 7/8, and 11/16 time signatures. Such meters are often found in various genres of music, including progressive rock, jazz, and contemporary classical music.
Note & Rest Durations
| Symbol | Note Name | Duration in Common Time |
|---|---|---|
 | Whole Note | 4 beats |
 | Half Note | 2 beats |
 | Quarter Note | 1 beat |
 | Eighth Note | 1/2 beat |
 | Sixteenth Note | 1/4 beat |
Note values can be combined with dots to increase their duration by half their value. For example, a dotted half note has a duration of three beats (2 + 1).
Here is a table of common dotted note values and their corresponding durations:
| Note Name | Duration in Common Time |
|---|---|
| Dotted Half Note | 3 beats |
| Dotted Quarter Note | 1 1/2 beats |
| Dotted Eighth Note | 3/4 beat |
| Dotted Sixteenth Note | 3/8 beat |
| Symbol | Note Name | Duration in Common Time |
|---|---|---|
 | Whole Rest | 4 beats |
 | Half Rest | 2 beats |
 | Quarter Rest | 1 beat |
 | Eighth Rest | 1/2 beat |
 | Sixteenth Rest | 1/4 beat |
| Rest Name | Duration in Common Time |
|---|---|
| Whole Rest | 6 beats |
| Half Rest | 3 beats |
| Quarter Rest | 1 1/2 beats |
| Eighth Rest | 3/4 beat |
| Sixteenth Rest | 3/8 beat |
Triplets are a type of rhythmic subdivision in which three notes are played in the space of two notes of the same duration. In other words, a triplet divides a note into three equal parts. Triplets are notated by placing the number 3 above or below a group of three notes, and are commonly used in music to create syncopated rhythms or to add complexity to a melody or rhythm. For example, a quarter note triplet would consist of three equal notes played in the space of 2 quarter notes (1 half note).
| Note Name | Note Value | Duration in Common Time |
|---|---|---|
| Whole Note | 1 | 4 beats |
| Half Note | 1/2 | 2 beats |
| Quarter Note | 1/4 | 1 beat |
| Quarter Note Triplet | 1/6 | 2/3 beat |
| Eighth Note | 1/8 | 1/2 beat |
| Eighth Note Triplet | 1/12 | 1/3 beat |
| Sixteenth Note | 1/16 | 1/4 beat |
| Sixteenth Note Triplet | 1/24 | 1/6 beat |
Consonance is a combination of musical notes that sound stable, resolved, and pleasing to the ear.
Dissonance is a combination of musical notes that sound unstable, unresolved, and tense to the ear.
Acoustics is the science that concentrates on the production, control, transmission, and effects of sound. Music is made up of a series of sounds – energetic vibrations that cause air to move. These vibrations take form as waves moving outward in an expanding sphere from a source. Think of the ripples that form when an object is dropped in water, and translate that 2D circle into a 3D sphere. These sound waves hit our ears and vibrate our ear drums, which then convert the acoustic energy into the perception of sound. The quality of that perception will vary depending on the behavior of the sound waves.
