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ALPHA MUSIC THEORY HANDBOOK
Preliminary Grade
By Ayobami Oyekulehin
This publication contains essential elements of music, basics of music theory, music
appreciation, and practical exercises designedfor preliminary level and basic 5-7 or
otherwise
It follows an outline from the alpha music theory syllabus, fashioned in line with the
UK and the Nigerian music curriculum for graded and promotional examinations
and peripatetic teaching.
Alpha Music Group Ltd
Abuja, Nigeria
Tel: +2347063970943
+2347059877122
Email: alphamusicltd@gmail.com
Hilltop_group@yahoo.com.ph
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CONTENTS
Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------------6
CHAPTER 1: BASICS: INTRODUCTION TO ------------------------------------7
Music ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7
Sound ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7
Note --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7
Quiz --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7
CHAPTER 2: THE STAFF -------------------------------------------------------------8
Definition -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8
Types of staff ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8
The clef ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9
The grand staff ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10
Quiz -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11
CHAPTER3: THE MUSICAL ALPHABETS -------------------------------------12
Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------------12
The letters ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------12
Quiz -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12
CHAPTER 4: NAMING THE STAFF ---------------------------------------------13
Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13
Naming the treble staff -------------------------------------------------------------------------14
The lines ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14
The spaces ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------15
Naming the bass staff ---------------------------------------------------------------------------15
The lines ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------15
The spaces ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16
Quiz ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16
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CHAPTER 5: THE SCALE I ---------------------------------------------------------17
Introduction ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------17
The scale of C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------17
The scale of F -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------18
The scale of G ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------18
Quiz ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------18
CHAPTER6: THE ACCIDENTALS I (MUSICAL SIGNS) -------------------19
Introduction ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------19
Type of accidentals ------------------------------------------------------------------------------19
The sharp sign ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------19
The flat sign ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------20
Quiz ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------20
CHAPTER 7: NOTES AND THEIR VALUES -----------------------------------21
Musical notes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------21
Music notation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------21
Solfa notation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------21
Staff notation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------21
The rest --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------22
Quiz ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------22
CHAPTER 8: TIME SIGNATURE I -----------------------------------------------23
Introduction ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------23
Types of time signature -------------------------------------------------------------------------23
The simple time ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------23
Common time ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------23
Three four time signature -----------------------------------------------------------------------24
Two four time signature ------------------------------------------------------------------------25
Quiz ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------25
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Introduction
This book (Alpha music theory handbook preliminary grade) is designed in line with the
Alpha music theory syllabus in accordance with the Nigerian music education and United
Kingdom music education curriculum, to introduce a beginner to the fundamentals of
music and music appreciation.
The book reveals the secrets of the rudiments of music, elements of music and how to
read and write music.
It contains 8 major chapters which are to be learned in the first year of music education.
The handbook contains essential elements of music, basics of music theory, and practical
exercises designed for preliminary level and basic 5-7 (or otherwise).
It shows a systematic method of teaching the syllabus from the preliminary level to the
advanced level in a chronological succession as topics were developed and discussed to
enhance continuity.
Teachers are to ensure that students work the practical exercises (quiz) for better
assimilation, understanding, and assessment.
However, the handbook can be used for peripatetic teaching, formal music education,
examinations, research etc. in line with any other designated syllabus.
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CHAPTER 1: BASICS
Introduction to music, sounds, and notes.
AMT 1.1 Music
Music is the combination of arranged sounds that are pleasant to the ear. There are different
sounds here and there, but the musical sounds are the ones that are well arranged to follow a
specific pattern, which in turn makes the sounds pleasant.
Therefore,music is the group of sounds that are organized and pleasing to the ear of the
listener. Music only exists when sounds are organized in time.
AMT 1.2 Musical Sounds
Musical sounds are those sounds that are pleasing to the ear. Before a sound can be pleasing
to the ear of the listener, it must be well arranged. All sounds are represented by notes in
music in other to make them have identity. Any sound produced no matter how loud or soft,
how high or low, short or long, there is a musical note to represent it.
This does not necessarily indicate that the sound must be produced by musical instruments
or human voice alone, it could be any sound made by any object.
AMT 1.3 Musical notes
Notes are symbols that are used to represent musical sounds in music.
These notes help us in writing music to suit a desired pattern and it is through these notes
that we interpret different sounds and ideas that is written or arranged.
Musical note is further discussed in lesson 6 of this book
Quiz
1. What is music?
2. What are music sounds?
3. What represent sounds in music writing?
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CHAPTER 2: THE STAFF
AMT 2.1 Definition
The Staff is a group of five (parallel) lines and four spaces on which musical notes are
written.
The staff is the foundation upon which notes are built (drawn) this group of horizontal lines
and spaces make it easy for a composer to write his or her music down for the record or
performance sake.
The image below shows an example of a staff.
Image: 1
Image 2 showsthe arrangementof the five horizontal linesandfourspaces
Image 2.
AMT 2.2 - TYPES OF STAFF
There are two major types of staff (staves):
1. Treble staff.
The treble staff is that staff with a musical symbol at the left hand side, curled around the
second line as shown below.
Image 3.
This symbol is called the treble clef
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2. Bass staff.
The bass staff has a musical symbol at the left hand side , but the symbol is curled around
the fifth line as image 4 reveals below.
Image4.
The symbol is called the bass clef
AMT 2.3 - THE CLEF
The clefs are the musical symbols placed at the left hand side of the staff.
The clefs determine the name a particular staff would be called. The clef shows the identity
of a staff.
There are four major types ofcleffs:
1. The treble clef the treble clef is also known as G clef because it
curls round the line G of the treble staff.
2. The bass clef the bass clef is also called F clefbecause it curls
around line F on the bass staff, the treble clef and the bass clef are the most common as
other are not mostly used.
Other clefs;
3. Alto clef
4. Tenor clef alto and tenor clefs are discursed in adanced
level lessons (grade 2 and 3)
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AMT 2.4 - THE GREAT STAVE/THE GRAND STAFF
THEGRAND STAFF
The great stave or grand staff is the combination of the treble staff and the bass staff
braced (joined) together. The grand staff or great stave has eleven lines. The five lines on
each staff plus the “invisible” line called the middle C
The grand staff is used in piano music; to write the music for piano and other keyboard
instruments like the electronic keyboard, the organ, the harpsichord, and the rest.
Below is the image of a grand staff.
Image: 1
This diagram below shows how to give letter names to the positions (lines and spaces) of the
grand staff. From the first note down the bass staff through the last note D double prime, there are
four Octaves.
Image: 2
Labeling the staff takes a systematic approach; we have to follow the alphabetical arrangement of
the musical alphabets
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AMT 2.5 - QUIZ
Answer the following questions in your work book/manuscript
1. Define the staff
2. Draw 20 treble clefs
3. What is another name for treble clef?
4. Draw 20 bass clefs.
5. What is another name for the bass clef?
6. How many types of clefs are commonly used?
7. Define the grand staff.
8. How many lines are in the treble staff?
9. How many lines can be found in the grand staff?
10. How many spaces does the base staff have?
11. Label the grand staff; starting from line G on the bass staff up to line F on the treble staff.
12. Label a grand staff from the first ledger line below line G of the bass staff. Up to space G
above the treble staff.
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CHAPTER: 3 THE MUSICAL ALPHABETS
THE MUSICAL ALPHABETS
AMT 3.1- introduction
Music uses the first seven (7) letters of the alphabets. The alphabets are used to determine the
positions of the staff (the lines and spaces)
These are the musical alphabets A B C D E F G
There is no musical note or sound that can exceed these letters, no matter how high or low the
note /sound is, therefore musical alphabet is a system of letters that helps us write down the
sounds.
The musical alphabets are just like the music language (learning a language in communication)
i.e. the language we speak to understand the notes.
AMT 3.2 THE LETTERS
All music are made up of notes; a note can be just any pitch (degree) made by a musical
instrument. Every note in music is represented by a letter name for example, if letter A (note)
starts and runs through G, we start another set to continue on A again and not continue with H,
because there are only 7 letters A-G.
Starting the set all over makes it a series of notes, these sequences can start on any letter, for
example, C D E F G A B-C,once it reached the 7th
letter we start over again.
Therefore,this set of 7 notes in sequence plus the first note is called Octave,although these are
not the only notes in music, there are 12 musical notes in music which is made up of the 7
natural notes (musicalalphabets) and the 5 other notes are discussed in the advance levels
Quiz
1. How many alphabets do we use in music?
2. Can you Name the musical alphabets?
3. What is an octave?
4. How many musical notes are there in music?
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CHAPTER: 4 NAMING THE STAFF I
AMT 4.1 – introduction
The musical alphabets are used to name the different positions of the staff.
They also give names to the positions on the staff whether the line or the space.
For example
Image: 1
Image: 2
The above positions of the note is called C or middle C
The two images show the middle C, the invisible line which runs between the treble and bass
stave.
Image: 3
The staff is named from C upward and downward, that is each position on the staff (lines and
space) bears a letter name as shown in the image below.
Image: 4
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AMT 4.2 - naming the treble staff
The treble staff is labeled from middle C upward, with the names of the lines forming the
acronym: EGBDF and the spaces; FACE,as the image below reveals.
Image: 5
AMT 4.2.1: The lines
The lines of the treble staff start with line E and they run through line F, they forms the acronym
E-every, G-good, B-boy, D-deserves, F-food, Spell the letters and memorize them with the
acronyms as shown below.
The 1st
line is called E
The 2nd
line is called G
The 3rd
line is called B
The 4th
line is called D
The 5th
line is called F
Image 6 below shows the names of the treble staff lines.
Image: 6
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AMT 4.2.2: The spaces
The spaces of the treble staff are four; they can be used and remembered as FACE (human face)
as shown in the image below
Image: 7
The 1st
space is called F
The 2nd
space is called A
The 3rd
space is called C
The 4th
space is called E
AMT 4.3 - Naming the bass staff
The bass staff is labeled from line E the small line (ledger line) below the staff to the middle C as
shown in the diagram below
Image: 8
AMT 4.3.1: The lines
The lines of the bass staff has the following letters GBDFA,you can also form an acronym here
too for sound remembrance,G- Good, B –Boy, D –Deserves, F –Favor, A- Always or Grizzly
Bears Don’t Fly Airplanes.
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The 1st
line of the bass staff is called G
The 2nd
line of the bass staff is called B
The 3rd
line of the bass staff is called D
The 4th
line of the bass staff is called F
The 5th
line of the bass staff is called A
The image below reveals the names of the bass staff Lines G to A
Image: 9
AMT 4.3.2 The spaces
The spaces of the bass staff has the followingletters, ACEG.
Thisacronym can be formed;A- All C-CowsE-Eat G-Grass
The 1st
space is called A
The 2nd
space is called C
The 3rd
space iscalled E
The 4th
space iscalled G;as labelledinthe diagram below.
Image : 10
AMT 4.3.3 Quiz
1. Label the grand staff from line G on the bass staff to line F on the treble staff
2. Name the lines of the treble staff and bass staff separately
3. Label the treble staff
4. Label the spaces of the bass staff
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CHAPTER 5: THE SCALE I
AMT 5.1: introduction
The scale is series of notes moving up and down the ladder (staff). The movement is either to the
left or right (up or down) but in an arranged order. The movement must follow a certain pattern to
ensure a pleasant outcome.
Therefore,a scale is defined as the ascending (moving up) and descending (moving down) pattern
of a series of notes in an arranged order.
A particular movement of different notes on a ladder (staff) has to be in a pattern so that the
movement would have identity. The identity of a particular movement of series of notes is
determined by the pattern used. The identity and the pattern of movement is discussed in scale II
in Grade 1
In this book, our focus is on the movement of series of notes.
When a set or series of notes move, it starts from a point, moves up (ascend) and down (descend)
and comes right back to the point where it starts. For instance; in the diagram below, these set of
notes move from point C (middle C), goes up(ascend) to another point C and comes down
(descend)back to middle C
Image: 1
AMT 5.2 The scale ofC
The diagram above is the ascending and descending pattern in the scale C and it shows that the
first and the last note of this series (scale) are Cs. The scale of C uses all the white keys when
played on the piano.
Therefore,the scale of C consist of C D E F G A B C, this series of 8notes is called OCTAVE as
shown below. An octave is a set of eight notes.
Image: 2
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AMT 5.3 The scale ofF
Like the scale of C, the scale of F also starts on space F,runs up and touches line F, and ends on
space F as described below.
On the piano, the scale of F also consist of some white keys plus 1 black key, i.e. Bb,this is due
to the fact that the 4th
step is altered (reduced) with a b (flat) sign, so instead of touching all the
white keys in the scale of F, the 4th
white key is substituted for the black key close to it. On the
staff the 4th
step carries a flat sign (b) which shows it’s been altered.
Image: 3
The scale of F has the following letters, F G A Bb C D E F
AMT 5.4 The scale of G
The scale of G has one black key in its series just like the scale of F, but its own black key is F#,
the 7th
step is altered,being substituted for the white key. In a similar way on the staff, the
seventh (7th
) step caries this sign # (sharp sign) to show it’s been altered as described below.
Image: 4
The scale of G has these letters G A B C D E F#G
The scale of F and G has altered note each; altered notes are discussed in the next lesson.
AMT 5.4 Quiz
1. Write the scale of G ascending and descending pattern
2. Construct the scale of F ascending and descending pattern
3. Write the scale of C ascending pattern
4. Construct the scale of F ascending pattern
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CHAPTER 6: THE ACCIDENTALS I (MUSICAL SIGNS)
AMT 6.1 Introduction
The accidentals are musical signs that affect the pitch (position and the sound) of a note. They
alter a note and make it sound higher or lower than written or make it sound natural (original
sound or position), any note with accidental will not sound the ways it’s written.
AMT 6.2 Types ofaccidentals
There more than five accidental signs in music but at this level, our lesson will only cover two of
the accidentals.
a. The sharp sign
b. The flat sign
These musical signs indicate whether a note should be raised or lowered in pitch and they are also
used in line with key signature. (Discussed in advance level)
An accidental sign remains effective as long as it within the measure (bar) once a bar line is
crossed the effects all accidentals are canceled; that is, any accidental has no effect on the note
once the music crosses a bar line, if the composer feels there is need for more accidental on the
particular note in the subsequent bar(s) (following bar), it has to be written again against the note.
In other words, a bar-line terminates the effects of any accidental.
In the image below, the first note is on C and it carries a sharp sign (#),therefore other notes in
the same bar before the vertical line are affected and would be played as C#. But after the line the
next note (3rd
C from left) is not affected because the bar line has canceled the effect of the sign.
The writer of this phrase needed another C# so he added a new sharp sign.
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AMT 6.3 The sharp sign
The sharp sign increases the value of a note by a semitone. When a sharp sign is placed beside a
note it will raise the note higher by a semitone, which means the note is sounded or played higher
than the way it is written.
AMT 6.4The Flat sign
The flat sign does the opposite; it reduces the value of a note by semitone. A note tagged with a
flat sign is sounded or played a semitone lower than written. The diagram below shows the letter
D labeled with a flat sign (b) on the fourth line of the treble staff. This means instead of touching
letter D on the keyboard which is a white key (second from left), the black key to the left is
touched.
D
AMT 6.6 Quiz
1. Define accidental
2. On your manuscript booklet drawn 10 sharp signs in a row (1 staff)
3. Draw 10 flat signs in 1 staff
4. What sign raises a note by semitone?
5. What is the effect of a flat sign on a note?
6. Mention any two accidental signs you know
7. Pick a music sheet and identify any accidental in the music and show it to your teacher.
#
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CHAPTER 7: NOTES AND THEIR VALUES I
AMT 7.1 Musical notes.
Musical notes are symbols that represent different sounds on the staff in musical notation.
These notes are in different sizes and are used in the interpretation of musical sounds on the staff.
A musical note represents the length and pitch of a sound, therefore this lesson will focus only on
the rhythmic value of each note as it affects their duration. (Length of sound)
AMT 7.2 Music notation
Musical notation is the method of writing musical sounds on the staff.
When writing musical sounds or tones, you can either use the staff notation or solfa notation,
depending on what you desire. Music is written using any of the clefs discussed in the previous
lesson (ATM 1.3)
AMT 7.3 Solfa notation
Solfa notation is the act of writing music using tonic solfa.
For example d: r: m: f: s: l: t: d
AMT 7.4 Staff notation
This is the act of writing music on the staff using the first seven letters of the alphabet.
Example: A, B, C, D, E, F, G.
In staff notation when any musical sound falls on any position of these letters the sound is
replaced by the appropriate note (symbol).
The followings are the musical notes to be learned at this level
Image: 1
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From the table above, a semibreve is known to sound for a length of 4beat count, which is while
it is called whole note. The minim when sounded would go for 2 beats, while the crotchet which
is also known as quarter note will go for 1 beat count. The quaver on other hand will go for a half
beat count (1/2 beat),but the semiquaver is sounded for a period of quarter beat that is ¼ beat.
Any note can be written on any position on the staff (lines and spaces) to suit a desired pitch. The
combination of notes to be used is determined by the flow of the music which is rhythm.
(Discussed in the next level)
The table below shows the names and rest values for the musical notes discussed
AMT 7.5 THE REST
Rest is the period of silence in music. During this period of rest in music some musical symbols
are used to represent the length or duration of the rests. Each musical notes has its own rest
values as illustrated in the table below.
Image: 2
AMT 7.6 Quiz
1. What is music notation?
2. What is solfa notion?
3. How many beat count has the minim
4. How many beat count has the semiquaver
5. What is rest?
6. What is staff notation?
7. Draw the table of notes and write the names, values, and lengths of each of the
notes.
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CHAPTER 8: TIME SIGNATURE I
AMT 8.1 Introduction
Time signature is a system in notation that determines the number of beats (pulses) to be
contained in each bar (measure) and the note value of each beat.
In a musical score(music written on the staff), time signature appears at beginning of a score as a
symbol that indicates the flow of the music (rhythm or pulse) immediately after the key
signature, or immediately after the clef if the key signature is empty.
The time signature looks like a fraction but there is no division sign in it, and it is the meter of
music, it helps in designing the movement or the flow of the music. (Meter; discussed in Grade1
book) A time signature is chosen to suit a particular style of music. The time signature is made up
of two numbers one placed above the other. The number above tells how many beat each bar
should have and the number below describes the value of each of the beat in a bar.
AMT 8.2 TYPES OF TIME SIGNATURE
AMT 8.2.1 The Simple time signature. (Other types discussed in the advance levels, Grade 1
and above)
There various types of time signature, but for the sake of this lesson (level) we shall learn about
Simple time signature.
Simple time signatures are the meters with each of the beats per bar (measure) divisible by two,
that is each beat in a bar can be broken down or divided in to two beats.
These are simple time signature examples;
AMT 8.2.2 COMMON TIME
Common time C
This time signature is also known as
its written as
24. 24
A common time written like any of these would be interpreted as
AMT 8.2.3 THREEFOUR
Three four is another simple time signature but it is in triple form
It’s written and interpreted as three crotchet beats in a bar;
25. 25
AMT 8.2.4 TWO FOUR
Two four is another time signature . This simply indicates there are two crotchet beats in each
bar written and interpreted as;
Interpreted as
A composer may choose to write his/her music with any time signature suitable, in as much as it
in line with flow of the music.
Without time signature it will be difficult for two or more musicians to perform together, dance,
rhythm, notation and other elements of music will not be understood.
AMT 8.2.5 Quiz
1. What do you understand by time signature?
2. Explain the simple time signature
3. Mention and draw 3 types of simple time signature
4. Explain the following time signature and give examples on the staff in your manuscript.
a.
b.
c.
