The Essential Music Terms

1. The STAFF - Has 5 lines & 4 spaces

2. BAR LINE – Divides the musical staff  into measures

3. MEASURE – Is the space between 2 bar lines

4. DOUBLE BAR LINE – Denotes you have reached end of a piece of music

5. QUARTER NOTE  - Notes we play & typically counted as 1,2,3,4 

6. REST – A place where we ‘rest’ ie: do not play a note in the measure

7. TIME SIGNATURE – Denotes how to count the music

a) So 3/4 means there are 3 beats per measure

b) 2/ 4 means that there are 2 beats per measure

This lesson is excerpted from Mark Wessels' book, A Fresh Approach to the Snare Drum