Signs across the music

About 2 min to read, then 5 practice questions

First and second time bars

Play bar 1, repeat, then skip to bar 2

Repeat marks: play the music between them again. First and second time bars: play the first-time bar, repeat, then skip to the second-time bar. Dal segno (D.S.) means repeat from the sign.

Quick check

On the repeat, which bar do you skip?

An octave higher, and bars of rest

An octave higher, then four bars' rest

8va over the notes: play them an octave higher than written. A multi-bar rest: rest for the number of bars written over it.

Quick check

A multi-bar rest has a 4 over it. What do you do?

Recap: Grade 1 signs across the music

A slur, a crescendo hairpin, then a tie

A slur: play the notes smoothly. A tie: one sound across two notes of the same pitch. Hairpins: crescendo (opening) and diminuendo (closing). Common time (C) is ; alla breve is . A metronome mark gives the number of beats in a minute.

Remember

1. and 2. bars: play the first, repeat, skip to the second.
8va: an octave higher. Multi-bar rest: rest that many bars.
D.S.: repeat from the sign.

Practise this: 5 questions, about 4 min

Answering from memory soon after reading is what makes it stick, so now is a good time.

XP for every question right first time
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