Why We Love Music: The Tools of the Trade Quiz

The time signature effectively tells us the length of each measure. The bottom number of the time signature indicates a note length and the top number indicates how many of those notes should fit into one measure. In this case, Beethoven has instructed us that each measure should be the equivalent of two quarter notes.

Although students are typically taught that the top number indicates how many beats there are in a measure and the bottom number indicates what note gets the beat, this is not always the case (looking at you 6/8).

The clef tells us what notes each line and space represent. This is the treble clef, sometimes called the G clef because the clef circles around the G line. Below that, we see the Alto Clef (also called the C clef) and the Bass Clef (also called the F Clef).

The dynamic marking indicates the volume at which a particular passage should be played. This dynamic marking of p indicates piano which means soft. Earlier in the piece, the ff marking indicates fortissimo which means very loud.

A barline separates measures. This barline extends down through multiple staves and is call a systemic barline. The composer has grouped these 5 staves into a single system. Composers do this to group instrument families together.

The fermata indicates that the note should be held longer than normal. "How long" you ask? That is entirely up to the performer's or conductor's discretion.

The tempo marking tells us how fast to play the particular piece. Allegro con Brio (which comes to us from Italian) means lively and with spirit (or brightness). Lest there be any doubt, a metronome marking is also given telling us that the half note is equal to 108. This means that there should be 108 half notes every minute or that each half note should last .56 seconds.

Wait, what? A whole rest typically equals 4 quarter notes or rests, but, in this piece, each measure only equals 2 quarter notes. How can this be? Well, musical notation conventions say that an empty measure should be indicated by a whole rest regardless of the time signature and the actual value of the notes that would typically make up the measure. You can always tell a whole rest because it hangs down from the second line from the top.

The half rest sits on top of the middle line.

The half note is equal to two quarter notes or one half of a whole note. In British English, the half note is called a minim, a quarter note is a crotchet, and a whole note is called a semibreve. Wait until you meet the hemidemisemiquaver!

The key signature tells us what notes will be used in the musical composition. It also tells us what the tonic, or the primary note, of the piece is. In this case, the primary note is C and the key is called C minor. That means that the notes we will use the most will be C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, and B♭.

This particular key signature is also shared by E♭ major. These two keys have a relative relationship meaning they have the same signature but a different tonic or primary note.

A tie connects two notes of the same pitch to make them into one longer note. In this case, the D in the fourth measure is tied to the D in the fifth measure. The note should then be help for the equivalent of one whole note. Ties are used to connect notes across barlines or notes of different rhythmic values.