Composers write Italian words and signs to tell you how to play. Here are the essentials for Grade 1.
Dynamics — how loud or soft
- p (piano) — soft · f (forte) — loud
- mp (mezzo-piano) — moderately soft · mf (mezzo-forte) — moderately loud
- pp — very soft · ff — very loud
- crescendo (cresc.) — gradually louder · diminuendo (dim.) — gradually softer
Tempo — how fast or slow
- Adagio — slow · Andante — at a walking pace
- Moderato — at a moderate speed · Allegro — fast and lively
- ritardando (rit.) — gradually slowing down · a tempo — back to the original speed
Signs
- Staccato — a dot above or below a note: play it short and detached.
- Slur — a curved line over different notes: play them smoothly (legato).
- Accent (>) — play the note more strongly.
- Pause (fermata) — hold the note longer than its written value.
Remember
- p = soft, f = loud; crescendo = louder, diminuendo = softer.
- Adagio slow · Andante walking · Moderato moderate · Allegro fast.
- Staccato = short; a slur = smooth (legato).