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Writing Music out: General Points
Note Stems
If on the middle line or higher the stem must go down
If on the middle line or lower the stem must go upTies must be written from the notehead
Accidentals
Must be written before the note head on the stave, and after in written
descriptions.
Key signatures
For full marks, sharps and flats must be in the correct order and octave.
GroupingRemember, in compound time the beat is a dotted crotchet
In simple time the beat is a crotchet or minim
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Key signatures
Required for EVERY LINE. Time signatures required just for the first line.
Sharps in Fives
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Flats in Fours
Scales [MACK]
Check: Major/Minor/Harmonic/Chromatic
Ascending/descending
Clef?
Key signature?
Harmonic Minors: Raised 7th ascending and descending
Melodic Minors: Raised 6th
and 7th ascending,, back to normal descending
Chromatic: Sharps ascending, flats descending
Transposition [NICK]
Notes? Write them out
Interval?
Clef?Key Signature?
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Short Score to Open Score
Soprano
Alto
TenorBass
Copy soprano, alto and bass exactly, thinking about which way stems go.
Then for tenor,
- If you are going to short score, remember to transpose into the bass clef
and put an octave down.
- If you are going into open score, remember to transpose into treble clef
and put an octave up.
Instruments of the Orchestra
Two important points:
Transposing instruments: Clarinet, trumpet, horn
Family Instrument Picture Clef Transposing?
String
Violin No
Viola No
Cello No
Double bass 8ve down
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Woodwind
Flute No
Oboe No
Clarinet Yes (Bb/A)
Bassoon No
Brass
Trumpet Yes (Bb)
French horn Yes (F)
Trombone No
Tuba No
Percussion
Tuned Percussion/Definite Pitch: xylophone, glockenspiel.
Untuned percussion/indefinite pitch: snare drum, bass drum
Voice [highest] Soprano Alto Tenor Baritone Bass [lowest]
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Time Signatures
The lower number is the VALUE:
1= Semibreve (rare) 2= Minim
4= Crotchet 8= Quaver
16= Semiquaver 32= Demisemiquaver (rare)
The upper number tells you how many of those beats to count.
Eg. 2/4 means 2 crotchets
2/2 means 2 minims
8/16 means 8 semiquavers
Every time signature also has a technical name. You work out thetechnical name by looking at the upper number of the time signature.
You will need to learn this table:
Duple Triple Quadruple
Simple 2 3 4
Compound 6 9 12
Eg. 2/4 is Simple Duple
6/8 is Compound Duple
12/16 is Compound Quadruple.
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