Musical Symbols & Terms

A Quiz
Topics

 Notes and Symbols

 Tempo Markings
 Dynamic Markings
 Coda Terms and Symbols
Musical Symbols

The Staff


Treble Clef


Bass Clef


flat


Sharp


natural

Quarter Note

Half Note


Whole Note

Eighth Note

16th Note
Quarter Rest


Dotted Quarter Note



Dotted Half Note



Fermata = Hold


Cut time = 2/2

Dynamic Markings

Piano = Soft


Forte = Loud


Pianissimo = Very Soft



Fortissimo = Very Loud


mezzoforte = medium
loud

mezzopiano = medium
soft
Dim.

Diminuendo = get softer

Cresc.

Crescendo = get louder

Tempo Markings
adagio

slow
andante

Medium slow
moderato

Moderate tempo
allegro

fast
Maestoso

Majestically
Rit.

Ritardando = slow down

Accel.
Accelerando = get
faster
A tempo

Return to original tempo

Rall.
Rallentando = get
slower
Molto rit.

Slow down a lot

Piu mosso

Faster: “more motion”

Coda Terms and Symbols
Fine

The End


Segno = sign
Coda

The ending section

(sometimes separate)
Coda sign
(ending section)
D.C. al Fine
Go back to the
beginning and play to
the finish (Fine)
D.S. al Fine
Go back to the sign ()
and play to the end
(fine).
D.S. al Coda
Go back to the sign (),
play to the Coda sign,
jump to the Coda and
play to the end.
D.C. al Coda
Go back to the beginning,
then play to the Coda sign,
jump to the Coda and play
to the end.