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Musical notation

Symbols used in Western musical notation.

24 symbols
Accent symbolAccentPlay the note with extra emphasis. Bass clef symbolBass clefA clef normally used for lower-pitched music; it places F on the fourth line of the staff. Common time symbolCommon timeAnother way of writing a 4/4 time signature. Crescendo symbolCrescendoGradually become louder. Cut time symbolCut timeAnother way of writing a 2/2 time signature. Diminuendo symbolDiminuendoGradually become quieter. Eighth note (quaver) symbolEighth note (quaver)A filled note with a stem and one flag, lasting half a quarter note. Eighth rest (quaver rest) symbolEighth rest (quaver rest)A rest normally lasting half a beat in common time. Fermata symbolFermataHold the note or rest longer than its written value. Flat symbolFlatLowers the pitch of a note by one semitone. Half note (minim) symbolHalf note (minim)A hollow note with a stem, normally lasting two quarter-note beats. Half rest (minim rest) symbolHalf rest (minim rest)A rest normally lasting two beats; it sits on top of a staff line. Natural symbolNaturalCancels a previous sharp or flat and restores the unaltered pitch. Quarter note (crotchet) symbolQuarter note (crotchet)A filled note with a stem, normally lasting one beat in common time. Quarter rest (crotchet rest) symbolQuarter rest (crotchet rest)A rest normally lasting one beat. Repeat from here symbolRepeat from hereThe dots and double bar line instruct the performer to repeat a section. Sharp symbolSharpRaises the pitch of a note by one semitone. Slur symbolSlurA curved line over notes of different pitches, indicating they should be played smoothly as a phrase. Staccato symbolStaccatoPlay the note short and detached. Tenuto symbolTenutoHold the note for its full value, often with gentle emphasis. Tie symbolTieA curved line joining two notes of the same pitch, combining their durations. Treble clef symbolTreble clefA clef normally used for higher-pitched music; it places G on the second line of the staff. Whole note (semibreve) symbolWhole note (semibreve)A hollow note without a stem, normally lasting four quarter-note beats in common time. Whole rest (semibreve rest) symbolWhole rest (semibreve rest)A rest normally lasting a whole four-beat measure; it hangs below a staff line.