Quick questions on Notation and score reading: HSC Music

Pitch is written on the five-line staff. The treble clef (G clef) centres on the upper register; the bass clef (F clef) on the lower; and the alto and tenor C clefs are used for some instruments such as viola. Pitches above or below the staff use ledger lines. Accidentals (sharp, flat, natural) raise or lower a pitch by a semitone.

A key signature is the set of sharps or flats at the start of each line that fixes the key. Sharps are added in the order F C G D A E B; flats in the reverse, B E A D G C F. A quick way to find a major key: the last sharp is the leading note, so the key is a semitone above it; for flats, the second-to-last flat names the key. Each major key shares its key signature with its relative minor (a minor third below), so you must use other clues, such as the tonic and any raised leading note, to decide major or minor.

Rhythm is written with note values: semibreve, minim, crotchet, quaver, semiquaver and their dotted and tied forms, each halving in duration as you go. Rests mirror these values for silence. A dot after a note adds half its value; a tie joins two notes into one sustained duration; a triplet fits three notes into the space of two. Reading rhythm fluently means grouping notes by beat within the bar rather than reading note by note.

Some instruments sound at a different pitch from what is written. A B-flat clarinet or trumpet written C sounds B-flat; an F horn written C sounds F below. When you analyse a full score, account for transposition to find the real concert pitch and the actual harmony. This is mainly a Music 2 concern.