Music Theory
Level 2
Name
Period
Ledger Lines
Grand Staff
Table of Contents
Page 1-3
Page 4
Ledger Line and Grand Staff Review Page 5
Grand Staff - Piano Visual Page 6
Time Signatures Page 7-9
Theory Review Page 10
Dotted Half Notes Page 11-13
Ties vs. Slurs Page 14-16
Ear Training Part 3 Page 17
44 U"'1 r 3 Pitch
Ledger Lines
Notes (and musical sounds) don't end above and below a staff. T he notes can continue going higher, like this:
O r lower, like chis:
'"' " . • - .. . ' ,, ~ .. -- - - .. - • ... "JI. - --.. -:J
The short lines used for these notes are called ledger lines (pronounced LEH-jur lines). Notes are placed on, above, or below the ledger lines. Ledger lines are really just a continuation of the staff, but rhe lines are shorter. They don't run all the way across the page like staff lines.
The letter names of the notes continue up and down on the ledger lines. Here are the note names for ledger lines in the treble clef.
F G A 8 C A
Here are the note names fo r ledger lines in che bass clef.
• •
A 8 C D E C
8
D
\'(/e've only shown three ledger lines in these examples, but they can continue for more than three. Sometimes you may see four or even five ledger lines.
Note: ledger lines can also be spelled leger lines.
Copyright© MMIII by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.
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Note: the purchase of this book ca rries with it the right to photocopy this page. Limited to one school only. NOT FOR RESALE.
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F G
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J 1
J 1
J J J J
J 1
J 1
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Ledger Lines
What are the letter names of these notes in the treble clef? Place the answer on the line below the staff.
What are the letter names of these notes in the bass clef? Place the answer on the line belopw the staff.
Use ledger lines to draw the correct notes in the box.
This is a half note A. To its right, draw another half note A above the staff.
Here is a whole note D. To its right, draw another whole note D below the staff.
£. ,. - .. -I --
Circle the correct note for the questions below.
Which note is a B?
J g
Now draw a half note A below the staff.
Now draw a whole note D above the staff.
Which note is a C?
Copyright © MMIII by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.
"' .. - .. -I -~
Note: the purchase of this book carries with it the right to photocopy this page. Limited to one school only. NOT FOR RESALE .
45
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Ledger Lines Ledger Lines are short, horizontal lines .idded above or below the staff to extend the range of notes of the staff .
AB C DE
middle B C D E
u u 0
STUDENT ASSIGNMENT
F GAB C CD EFG
While these pitches can be written differently depending on the clef, they sound the same.
A B 0
1. Write the note name in the blank provided below each note.
Cl Q 0
0 Cl II u u
b)
Cl Q 0
Cl 0 II u -0- u
c) d)
.il -0- 0 0 ;,: 0- .il 0- 0
0 0
B .. rldle
C D E 0-
AB C DE
:111ddle
0
C ·0-
.il
.0.
0
D .il
0
Cl
Ii
E 0-
L-J
L
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J L
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J '-
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IDIE
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IDIE
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1be Grand Staff connects the treble and bass clef staves with a line and a brace. Middle C, notated with a ledger line, connects these two staves.
STUDENT ASSIGNMENT
Grand Staff Brace \l fl -11
r ' " tJ -a- --~ .. - ..
t Line
f--- MIDDLE(~-------<> I -9:-
1. Trace the four steps to creating a grand staff. Then create three grand staves of your own. Be sure to include a line, a
brace, a treble clef, and a bass clef.
: • ' . '•
. ...
2. Write the note name in the blank provided below each note.
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l ' ,, t) u
a-'- ..... - ..
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Grand Staff & Ledger Line Review
1. Draw a note head in the appropriate place on the grand staff according to the numbers given below. Each number
below the staff corresponds with a labeled key on the piano keyboard.
f'J :I
I\ Jn, '-' \I
tJ
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2. Write the note name in the blank provided below each note on the treble clef staff. For notes you have not yet
learned, use what you know to determine t~e answer.
a) b) d) e)
~ 3. Write the note name in the blank provided below each note on the bass clef staff. For notes you have not yet learned,
use what you know to determine the answer.
a) b) c) .n d) e)
9: 0
& :I :J= 9: :I &
&
4. Write the note name in the blank provided below each note. Remember to check which clef is used.
a) b) . c) d) e)
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0
~ 9: 9: & u
~-:-0
30 U Nlf 2 Rhythm
Time Signature How do music readers know how many beats there are in a measure? They know because at the beginning of a piece of music, to the right of the clef sign, are two numbers, one above the ocher, like this:
These two numbers are called a time signature. (Ir's also called a meter signature, but we'll call it a time signature.)
OR
The top number of the time signature tells us how many beats there are in each measure.
The bottom number of the time signature tells us which note gets one beat. Here's how to know which note gees one beat:
• if the bottom number is a 2, a half note gets one beat. • if the bottom number is a 4, a quarter note gets one beat. • if rhe bottom number is an 8, an eighth note gets one beat.
This time signature is four-four. There are four beats in each measure and a quarter note gets one beat.
This time signature is three-eight. There are three beats in each measure and an eighth note gets one beat.
Circle the note which gets one beat in each of the following examples.
j Copyright © MMIII by Alfred Publish ing Co., Inc.
This time signature is two-two. There are two beats in each measure and a half note gets one beat.
Note: the purchase of this book carries with it the right to photocopy this page. Limited to one school only. NOT FOR RESALE.
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L.
L L
L. L
L L
L L
L L
L
L ' L
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1
Time Signature ,
The last note is missing in each measure. Write one note in each box to complete each measure. Put the note on any line or in any space. (Remember, the time signature will tell you how many beats are in each measure, and what note gets a beat.)
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Write one rest in each box to complete each measure.
:>= g J J JI_ If J I
UNIT 2 Rhythm
On the staff below, one measure has too many beats. Circle the measure with too many beats. ·
~ ~ , I I ' -, • ' - - I - -,,~ ' ,_. - ~ - - - - r,,. -,, \J - - ' -u
On the staff below, one measure doesn't have enough beats. Circle that measure.
0 -Write the correct time signature in the box for each of the following examples.
~ .. ' r - - - - I - -,, r, - - - - - - - ~ ,-,,. - - -
'-' \_J - ' " u ......
-I:..,. - - - -- .. -· - - - - ~ - .., ,, - - - I - I - - -- - - - -- - -- -Copyright© MMIII by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.
Note: the purchase of this book carries with it the right to photocopy this page. Limited to one school only. NOT FOR RESALE .
-
Remember what you have learned about time signature:
The upper number of a time signature indicates how many beats are allowed in each measure.
The lower number of a time signature indicates what type of note receives one beat.
2- beats per measure
4- j gets 1 beat
3- beats per measure
4- j gets 1 beat
4- beats per measure
4- j gets 1 beat
STUDENT ASSIGNMENT
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I
~ [1
~ ~ 2
~ [1 2]
I~ ~ 2] 2
~ I~ 3 [ I 2]
~ ~ I n 3 4 [1 2 3
11 (1)
~ I~ 3
I~ 4] 1
~ I~ 2 [1 2]
* ~ I~
* (2) 3 [ I 2) (3)
! ~ * I~ -(2) 3 (4) [1 2](3)(4)
1. There is only one note missing from each measure below. Draw the note on the appropriate beat to complete the measure. Clap the rhythm.
q
II
II
II
~ ~ II 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3' 1 2 3 1 2 3 l 2 3
2. Draw bar lines in the following music. Write in the counting below the staff. Place the counting of rests in parentheses. For notes longer than one beat, place brackets around the first and last beats in that note. Clap the rhythm.
- ~ ~ II
3. There is only one rest missing from each measure below. Draw the rest on the appropriate beat to complete the measure. Clap the rhythm.
I~ l 2 3 1 2 3 l 2 3 l 2 3 l 2 3 l 2 3
II
Name: \0
l{cview: \Vorksheets 1-11 Date:
A. Draw your clef sign and name the notes:
0 0
0 0
0 Q
,, '' ,, (j
B. Tell how many counts each note or rest should receive in j time.
1. 0 6.n 2. J 7. --3. J 8. .,..
4. ~ 9. ~ J I
5. .P 10. 1 I c. Tell how many beats will be in the bar for each time signature:
3 2 1. 8 4. 2
2. l 5. 3 4
3. §
D. What kind of note gets one beat in each of these time signatures? 2 4
1. 4 3. 16 -----
2. g 4. ~
E. Tell whether the following are ties or slurs:
II 2. ___ _
© 1988 J. Weston Walch, Publisher Theory Worksheets /or Beginning Bands
• • ~. ... • t ~·"" ...
Rhythm
Dots The fourth measure in chis musical example in three-four time signature is blan k. Suppose we wanted to sing one note for the three beats in the measure. What note would we put there? A quarter note gets one beat and a half note gees rwo beats. Bue there is no note which gets three beats. What do we do?
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'- ' I/ - - - -u .._
We can lengthen a note by placing a dot after it. Like this:
A dot after a note lengthens a note by half. J t
M t.,<.St_cM_a_tvt~/ Dot
Half note Quarter note
! ~ - I I ~. l ! ~ l t t t
2 beats 3 beats 1 beat
Whole notes and eighth notes can also be dotted. However, dotted half notes and dotted quarter notes are more common.
--•
J t
Dot
I i ~. ' t 1~ beats
So we can fill the fourth measure of the example at the top of the page with a dotted half note. Like chis:
J IJ iJ J r t Dotted half note
Here are some ocher examples of music using dotted notes.
J Ir O d Rests can be dotted, coo, .. . . .. like chis:
t F l I J . ••
I Copyright © M MIII by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.
Note: the purchase of this book carries with it the right to photocopy this page. Lim ited to one school only. NOT FOR RESALE.
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Dots
M t..<..sLcMtttvt / Write the correct note in each blank space.
1. 0 = J. + 4. J. = J + J +
2. j = J. + 5. J. = Ji + Ji +
3. J. = J + 6. 0 = J. + Ji +
Fill in the correct dotted note in the box. Fill in the correct dotted rest in the box.
L '• ' .. - .. ~
' I ' I - - - - - -
Place barlines in the correct places on this staff.
~ .. w 01 - . ' \ , • t - - I - . I ,, ~ • ~ - ,_. - - r -'"' J -, ' -
~)
In the staff below, circle the measure which has too many beats.
F If r Copyright© MMIII by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.
Note: the purchase of this book carries with it the right to photocopy this page. Limited to one school only. NOT FOR RESALE.
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I I I
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Dotted Half Note
A Dot placed to the right of a note indicates that
the note should have half its value added to it.
Note: One Dotted Half Note is equal in length
to three quarter notes.
Count and clap the following rhythms.
J J IJ [1 2] 3 4 [1 2
~J J J IJ J IJ
J 3] 4
2 3 [ l 2] 3 [1 2 3]
STUDENT ASSIGNMENT
When J = 2 beats (as in i, f, and j):
J. = 2 (d) + 1 (J) = 3 beats
/ (halfof2)
IJ J IJ J J J [1 2 3] 4 2 3 4
I J J J I J J IJ 2 3 [1 2] 3 [1 2 3]
1. Draw bar lines in the following music. Write in the counting below the staff. Place the counting of rests in
parentheses. Place the counting oflong notes in brackets. Clap the rhythm.
a)
11
II
J J j J. - ~
b)
~-
II
II 2. Knowing what you have learned about the dot, and assuming the quarter note gets one beat, how many beats are in
each indicated note?
o · = __ _ J.= ---
3. [n your own words: Why is it impossible to have a dotted half note ( d.) in f time?
Ties vs. Slurs
A Tie is a curved line connecting two or more notes
of the same pitch. A tie extends a note's value. Ties are
drawn below notes with stems facing up, and above
notes with stems facing down.
@• '!= J]J. l 11
------~1= I r I~ l l 11 [ l 2 3 l ] (2) (3)
[1 2 3 4 1 2 3] (4)
This pitch, G, is sustained for a total of 7 ( 4+ 3) beats.
Note: stem is up, tie is below.
.....__.....-....__......-[ 1 2 1 2 1] (2)
II This pitch, G, is sustained for a total of 4 ( 3+ 1) beats.
Note: stems are down, tie is above. This pitch, F, is sustained for a total of 5 ( 2+ 2+ 1) beats.
Note: stems are up, tie is below.
A Slur is a curved line connecting two or more notes
of different pitches. A slur is a performance instruction
indicating that the notes connected should be played or sung very smoothly without a break in sound. Like ties, slurs are drawn below notes with stems facing up, and
above notes with stems facing down.
STUDENT ASSIGNMENT
~= I ~ ~ ~ ~ __________.. 1 2 3 4
I~ ~ - 2
1. Write the total number of beats each set of tied notes will receive. (The quarter note gets one beat.)
a) j~o = b) J_j_j = c) J_o =
d) J_j = e) d. j O = . f) J_d_d. = - - --
g) j_J_j= h) d_o = i) o_d_J =
~ [3 4]
2. Circle only the ties in the following music. Write in the counting. Place the counting oflong notes in brackets. Clap the rhythm.
J J IJ J J J j J IJ j j
II
11
\y
·~ :J /J 4, 4, l, Dotted Half Note, & Tie Review
1. There is only one note missing from each measure below. Draw the note on the appropriate beat to complete the measure.
I~ II 2. Draw in the missing bar lines. Draw in final bar lines at the ends.
a)
i J £ j J J £ J - J £ £ J j J J j
b)
I j 1 J J I
1 J J J J £ J J J J J d -c)
j j £ J J j J j J J l J £ j - Cl -3. Rewrite the following music replacing the tied notes with single notes of the same duration. ·
i ~ J J I ~ ~ I~ .~ ~ ~ I~ .J 1 J I J J J J I J. J II -II
4. Draw in the missing bar lines. Draw in final bar lines at the ends. Write the note names in the blanks provided.
,1)
, ~ j J J J w J r • • J F I
j l 1 J I j.
b) • J - • I • • F • I
I
I • • £ • I I I I ' I I
d
•
Name:
Tie, Tongue, and Slur Date: -------------- t A tie is a curved line that connects two or more notes of the same pitch. When two notes are tied together, you hold the pitch for the length of both notes:
'~ ~ j II Hold for two beats. I+ I
A. Add the beats to show how long each of these tied notes will be held for:
l. __ + _=_ 2. __ +_=_ 3._+_= __ 4, __ +_= __
2 = l t _,A II 2 E,-,, II 2 E?l:Z?r 11 t 0 s E" I 5. + = 6. __ + 7._+ _+_=_ 8. __ +_=_
A slur is a curved line that connects different notes. Always tongue the first note, and play the other notes without tonguing.
B. In the examples below, write "T" under the note that is to be tongued, and "slur" under the notes that should not be tongued.
slur 1. ___ _ iltJ[t)
2. ____ _ J. ___ _ 4. __ _
5 _____ _ 6. __ 7. __ _ 8. ______ _ 9. ___ _
Review: 1. A ------- connects two or more notes of the same pitch.
2. A connects different notes.
3. A slur means to play without -------4. Always the first note of a slur.
5. A tie means to hold the pitch for the length of------- notes.
Optional Activity: 1. Have a trumpet player play the slurring examples. Listen carefully to see if the tonguing and
slurring are correct.
© 1988 J. Weston Walch, Publisher Theory Worksheets for Beginning Bands
\ 'o
Ear Training Part 3 Audio files can be found in the Kjos Multimedia Library at www.kjos.com.
Listen to the following examples.
a) I J J J I J J J I J J I J J 11 b) I J J J I J J I J J I J II ......__, --
1. Listen to the exercise, then circle the rhythm that was performed.
,) 41 J. J I J J J II -o,- 41 J J J I JJ J II
b) ;,: 2 J J I J 11 - or - 9: 2 J J I J J 11
2. Listen to each two-measure exercise. Notate the rhythms on the 2nd space. Be sure to check the time signature. No
rests or ties are used.
a) 'i II b) ,, II
c) ~: ! II d) 9= I II Listen to the following examples of ties.
a) ft J J I j I J J I J J 11 b) 2 J J I j J I J J J I J II -- -3. Listen to each exercise. Add the tie or ties in the appropriate places.
,) =fl J J I J I J J I 3 I J J I J J Id II
b) :>= ~ J J J I J J J I J J I J I J J J I J II
c) @ I J J J IJ J j lj J J I., II
t,
J r ~ . . . ~ • . • (