{"id":47,"date":"2017-07-24T11:45:00","date_gmt":"2017-07-24T18:45:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-01-16T11:36:38","modified_gmt":"2023-01-16T19:36:38","slug":"piano-music-theory-symbols","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-music-theory-symbols\/","title":{"rendered":"Music Theory For The Dropouts #3 – Music Symbols"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As you\u2019ve been learning all of these music theory techniques, you\u2019ve probably come upon quite a few strange looking symbols.  So let\u2019s take a look at some of the most common symbols you\u2019ll find and what they mean musically.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first symbols we\u2019ll look at are types of <\/span>dynamic markings <\/span><\/em>(meaning they indicate where you should be playing loudly or softly.)  Generally speaking, there are two symbols that indicate loudness or softness.  The loud symbols look like a stylized \u2018<\/span>f<\/span><\/em>\u2019\u2019, while the soft symbols look like a \u2018<\/span>p<\/span><\/em>\u2019.  These two symbols stand for \u2018<\/span>forte\u2019<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>\u2018piano\u2019, <\/span><\/em>respectively.  <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/span>You can modify these symbols by putting a stylized <\/span>\u2018m<\/span><\/em>\u2019 in front of the <\/span>f <\/span><\/em>or <\/span>p<\/span><\/em> (<\/span>mf or mp). <\/span><\/em>These modified symbols stand for <\/span>mezzo-forte <\/span><\/em>and <\/span>mezzo-piano. \u00a0<\/span><\/em>Mezzo is just a fancy word for \u2018medium\u2019, so all this symbol really means is you\u2019re going to be playing at a medium loud or soft volume. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/span>Wanna get louder or softer? \u00a0Just start stacking \u2018<\/span>f\u2019s or \u2018p\u2019<\/span><\/em>s! \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/span>If you want to start a phrases quietly and build it up with increasing volume, you\u2019ll play something called a \u2018crescendo\u2019. \u00a0They look like long \u2018<\u2019 signs: as it widens the notes get louder. \u00a0The opposite of a crescendo is a decrescendo, which naturally looks like a longer version of \u2018>\u2019. \u00a0With a decrescendo, you start off loud and gradually grow quieter and quieter. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/span>The next symbols to look at are called <\/span>legato <\/span><\/em>and <\/span>staccato. \u00a0<\/span><\/em>These affect how each specific note is played. \u00a0A legato is simply a note that is connected together with another note. \u00a0It looks like a curved line that swoops underneath and \u2018ties\u2019 the two notes together. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/span>A staccato is played more rhythmically. \u00a0Each note is played, but then you <\/span>immediately <\/span><\/em>release the key. \u00a0The staccato note looks like a regular note but with a little dot underneath it. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s also the <\/span>accent<\/span><\/em> note.  An accented note is played a little bit louder than the other notes in the phrase.  It looks like a little sideways \u2018v\u2019 underneath the note.  <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/span>So, these notes are all examples of how a musical symbol and tell you dynamic or expressive information. \u00a0Without these symbols, you won\u2019t be able to tell what notes should be louder or quieter, or how they should be played. \u00a0Music is SO much more than just playing the right pitches with each other. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now let\u2019s take a look at what are arguably the two most important music symbols: the <\/span>sharp <\/span><\/em>and the <\/span>flat.<\/span><\/em> These symbols indicate whether you should be playing a note one semi-tone above (aka a <\/span>sharped<\/span><\/em> note) or one semi-tone below (aka a <\/span>flattened <\/span><\/em>note). \u00a0A sharp note is indicated by a \u2018#\u2019 symbol before the note, and a flat note is indicated by a stylized <\/span>\u2018b<\/span><\/em>\u2019 symbol. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Determining a sharp or flat note depends on context. \u00a0If you take a C and play the black key immediately above it, you\u2019re going to call that note <\/span>C-sharp.<\/span><\/em> \u00a0But if you take a D and play the black key immediately below, that note is called <\/span>D-flat.<\/span><\/em> \u00a0Even though they are physically the exact same key on the keyboard! \u00a0This will come into play once you start learning songs in different keys, as you make different keys by sharping and flattening different notes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready for your next lesson? You can learn all about major and minor scales in Lesson 4 of our series<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Missed any previous lessons?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can find Lesson 2 on the Grand Staff here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Lesson 1 on rhythm here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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