Musical notation: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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Following the clef, the [[key signature]] is a group of 0 to 7 [[sharp (music)|sharp]] ([[Sharp (music)|♯]]) or [[flat (music)|flat]] ([[Flat (music)|♭]]) signs placed on the staff to indicate the [[key (music)|key]] of the piece or song by specifying that certain notes are sharp or flat throughout the piece, unless otherwise indicated with [[accidental (music)|accidentals]] added before certain notes. When a flat ([[Flat (music)|♭]]) sign is placed before a note, the pitch of the note is lowered by one semitone. Similarly, a sharp sign ([[Sharp (music)|♯]]) raises the pitch by one semitone. For example, a sharp on the note D would raise it to [[D♯ (musical note)|D♯]] while a flat would lower it to [[D♭ (musical note)|D♭]]. [[Double sharp]]s and [[double flat]]s are less common, but they are used. A double sharp is placed before a note to make it two semitones higher, a double flat - two semitones lower. A [[natural sign]] placed before a note renders that note in its "natural" form, which means that any sharp or flat applied to that note from the key signature or an accidental, is cancelled. Sometimes a [[courtesy accidental]] is used in music where it is not technically required, to remind the musician of what pitch is required.

Following the key signature is the [[time signature]]. The time signature typically consists of two numbers, with one of the most common being {{music|time|4|4}}. The top "4" indicates that there are four beats per measure (also called [[Bar (music)|bar]]). The bottom "4" indicates that each of those beats are quarter notes. Measures divide the piece into groups of [[beat (music)|beats]], and the time signatures specify those groupings. {{music|time|4|4}} is used so often that it is also called "[[common time]]", and it may be indicated with {{music|commontime}} rather than numbers. Other frequently used time signatures are {{music|time|3|4}} (three beats per bar, with each beat being a quarter note); {{music|time|2|4}} (two beats per bar, with each beat being a quarter note); {{music|time|6|8}} (six beats per bar, with each beat being an eighth note) and {{music|time|12|8}} (twelve beats per bar, with each beat being an eighth note; in practice, the eighth notes are typically put into four groups of three eighth notes. {{music|time|12|8}} is a [[compound time]] type of time signature). Many other time signatures exist, such as {{music|time|32|82}}, {{music|time|5|8}}, {{music|time|5|4}}, {{music|time|7|4}}, {{music|time|9|8}}, and so on.

Many short [[classical music]] pieces from the [[classical period (music)|classical era]] and songs from [[traditional music]] and [[popular music]] are in one time signature for much or all of the piece. Music from the [[Romantic music]] era and later, particularly [[contemporary classical music]] and [[rock music]] genres such as [[progressive rock]] and the [[hardcore punk]] subgenre [[mathcore]], may use [[mixed meter]]; songs or pieces change from one meter to another, for example alternating between bars of {{music|time|5|4}} and {{music|time|7|8}}.

Directions to the player regarding matters such as [[tempo]] (e.g., [[Allegro (music)|Allegro]], [[Andante (tempo)|Andante]], [[Tempo#Basic tempo markings|Largo]], [[Tempo#French tempo markings|Vif, Lent, Modérément]], [[Presto (music)|Presto]], etc.),and [[dynamics (music)|dynamics]] (pianississimo, pianissimo, piano, mezzopiano, mezzofortee.g., forte, fortissimo, fortississimo, etc.) appear above or below the staff. Terms indicating the [[musical expression]] or "feel" to a song or piece are indicated at the beginning of the piece and at any points where the mood changes (e.g., "Slow March", "Fast Swing", "Medium Blues", "Fougueux", "Feierlich", "Gelassen", "Piacevole", "Con slancio", "Majestic", "Hostile" etc.) For vocal music, lyrics are written near the pitches of the melody. For short pauses (breaths), [[retake]]s (retakes are indicated with a ' mark) are added.

In music for [[musical ensemble|ensembles]], a "[[sheet music|score]]" shows music for all players together, with the staves for the different instruments and/or voices stacked vertically. The [[conducting|conductor]] uses the score while leading an [[orchestra]], [[concert band]], [[choir]] or other large ensemble. Individual performers in an ensemble play from "parts" which contain only the music played by an individual musician. A score can be constructed from a complete set of parts and vice versa. The process was laborious and time consuming when parts were hand-copied from the score, but since the development of [[scorewriter]] computer software in the 1980s, a score stored electronically can have parts automatically prepared by the program and quickly and inexpensively printed out using a computer printer.

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=== Judea ===

{{Main|Hebrew cantillation}}

[[File:Example of biblical Hebrew trope.svg|thumb|Example of biblical Hebrew Trope]]▼

Ancient Jewish texts include a series of marks assigning musical cantillation notes. Known in Hebrew as Ta'amim and Yiddish as Trope, there are records of these marks from the 6th and 7th centuries, having been passed down as a tradition for Jewish prayers and texts. Traditionally a series of marks written above and around the accompanying Hebrew texts, Trope marks represent a short musical motif. Throughout the Jewish diaspora there are variations in the accompanying melodies. There are three main systems of Hebrew cantillation: The Babylonian System, The Palestinian System, and the Tiberian System.

▲[[File:Example of biblical Hebrew trope.svg|thumb|Example of biblical Hebrew Trope]]

{{clear}}

==Other systems and practices==

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* [[Scorewriter]]

* [[Semasiography]]

* [[Sight-reading]]

* [[Sheet music]]

* [[Time unit box system]], a notation system useful for polyrhythms