PLAYING TIPS

Time Signature:

cut time

Cut time.

Sometimes referred to as Alla Breve.

same as

2 2

where the Half Note:

gets one count.

half note

Then all other notes change proportionately: 

Whole Note

whole note

get 2 beats,

quarter note

Quarter Note

gets ½ beat, etc.

4 4

OR:  You can play in a fast: 

It’s almost the same. 

  • In Measure 21 you will see Molto rit. an abbreviation for the 2 Italian words: Molto: “Much” and  Ritardando: “Gradually get slower”.  slow down a lot.
  • In Measure 24 you will see:   // near the top of the staff.  These two slashes are called a Caesura.
  • The slashes mean there is to be a brief, silent pause in the music for everyone.  A caesura usually comes in an unexpected place in the music.   
  • Sometimes we call the caesura "railroad tracks" or "tram lines" because that’s what they look like.  And like real railroad tracks you want to stop suddenly, carefully look both ways then make sure you watch the conductor for when to go across the tracks.
  • In Measure 28 you will see a  fermata:    
FermataChar

over the last note.

Sometimes called a “Bird’s Eye” because that’s what it looks like.  The fermata means time stops and the note or rest is to be held out usually about twice as long as the note or rest it’s with (although there is no set rule).

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