WMT - Pitch Notation Microlesson

Pitch Notation Microlesson

Introduction

Music has two main notational systems: the pitch system and the rhythmic system.

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The Pitch System indicates the pitch on a staff to play. The Rhythmic System displays the duration (how long) to sustain a pitch. 

    

In this microlesson, we will examine both notational systems.

Explore

As we mentioned before, music has two main notational systems: the pitch system and the rhythmic system. View the presentation below to learn more about these two main notational systems. Prepare to take notes and use the navigational buttons at the bottom of the video to pause, rewind, or move forward.

 Download a quick guide to Pitch Notation. Links to an external site. Please note that this PDF may not be fully accessible. If you require accessible text, you can find it below.

Understanding Music Notation: Pitch     
        

The provided text offers an overview of modern musical notation, highlighting its evolution and current complexities despite being neither intuitive nor efficient. It explains that this system visually represents pitch—the highness or lowness of a sound—against time using a staff, a five-line graph. The white notes of a piano keyboard, labeled A through G, form the basis of notation, with clefs determining their specific pitch on the staff. To represent black notes, accidentals (sharps, flats, double sharps, and naturals) are introduced, altering a note by half steps, which are the smallest distance between adjacent keys. Additionally, ledger lines extend the staff's range to include notes beyond its standard five lines.

    

Challenge

Using your knowledge from the microlesson, see what you know in the self-assessment below. If you have any questions about what you have learned in this module, connect with your instructor.  

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