Notation

Symbols

1. Key signatures: notation of all the sharps and flats that belong in the key of a section of music which is written at the beginning of every staff of music and are applied to the entire staff unless otherwise notated
2. Time signatures: notation used to specify the number of counts in each measure and which note value constitutes one count
3. Clefs: symbols used to determine the notes on a staff; different clefs are used to allow most of the notes to fall within or close to the five lines of a staff thus making it easier for the musician to quickly identify the note
4. Ornaments or graces: decorative notes added to a melody 

• • Acciaccatura: (crushed): notes squeezed in before a melody note (also called "grace notes")
  • Appoggiatura: (leaning): notes that pushed a melody note a small bit late
  • Mordent: (biting): a neighboring note played fleetingly just after the start of the melody note
  • Trill or Shake: multiple upper neighbor mordants (sometime sends with a turn)
  • Turn: a double mordant using one upper-neighbor note and lower-neighbor note

1. Dynamic Marks:

• • Pianissimmissmo (ppp): very, very quiet
  • Pianissimo (pp): very quiet
  • Piano (p): quiet
  • Mezzo piano (mp): moderately quiet
  • Mezza forte (mf): moderately loud
  • Forte (f): loud
  • Fortissimo (ff): very loud
  • Fortimmissimo (fff): very, very loud
  • Crescendo: growing; getting louder
  • Diminuendo: diminishing; getting quieter

1. Pitch Alterations:  

• • Flat: lowers the pitch one semitone
  • Sharp: raises the pitch one semitone
  • Natural: unaltered pitch
  • Double flat: lowers the pitch one whole tone or two semitones
  • Double sharp: raises the pitch two semitones

1. Articulation:

• • Accents: emphasis placed on a beginning of a particular note
  • Agogic Accent/Tenuto: A slight lingering on a note
  • Forzato(fz): Forceful beginning to a note 
  • Sforzato (sfz): A sudden strong accent
  • Marcato: stressed or marked
• Détaché: (detached): notes played using alternating bow strokes

• Legato: (linked): notes played smoothly and connectedly without silence in between

• Slurred: notes linked in one phrase or bow stroke

• Staccato: (separated): notes seperated by silence
• Staccatissimo/martelé (hammered): notes played as short as possible

1. Pauses: 

• • Fermata: hold the note longer than its normal value
  • Breath mark:
  • Caesura: ceasing