Tempo, dynamics, rhythms and notation

Written music contains several discrete yet explicit performance directions that help shape the way music is played.

Tempo dictates what speed music should be played at. Dynamics are concerned with what volume music should be played at. Rhythms control the duration of notes relative to each other, and to the beat or pulse of the music. Notation covers all other instructions, e.g. pitch, articulation, ornamentation, etc.

National 3

Tempo

Tempi introduced at National 3 are Adagio, Allegro, Faster, Pause and Slower.

Dynamics

Dynamics introduced at National 3 are Crescendo, Diminuendo, Forte and Piano.

Rhythms

Rhythms introduced at National 3 are 2, 3 or 4 beats in the bar, Accented, Beat, Off the beat and On the beat.

Notation

Notation introduced at National 3 are Chord, Crotchet, Discord, Dotted minim, Leap/Leaping, Legato, Lines and spaces of the treble clef, Minim, Octave, Semibreve, Sequence, Staccato and Step/stepwise.

National 4

Tempo

Tempi introduced at National 4 are A tempo, Accelerando, Andante and Rallentando.

Dynamics

Dynamics introduced at National 4 are Mezzo forte and Mezzo piano.

Rhythms

Rhythms introduced at National 4 are Anacrusis, Compound time, Simple time and Syncopation.

Notation

Notation introduced at National 4 are Dotted rhythm, Grouped semiquavers, Major, Minor, Ornament, Paired quaver, Pentatonic, Quaver, Repeat sign, Scale, Scotch snap and Semiquaver.

National 5

Tempo

Tempi introduced at National 5 are Moderato, Ritardando and Rubato.

Dynamics

Dynamics introduced at National 5 are Fortissimo, Pianissimo and Sforzando.

Rhythms

Rhythms introduced at National 5 are Compound time groupings and Cross rhythm.

Notation

Notation introduced at National 5 are Accidentals, Cadence, Chromatic, Contrary motion, Dotted crotchet, Dotted quaver, Grace note, Imperfect cadence, Modulation, Perfect cadence, Semitone, Tone, Trill and Whole-tone scale.