16.4 · The Grand Staff
Dynamics & markings
The staff says which notes and when. Everything about how lives in the signs around them: dynamics for loud and soft, articulation for smooth and clipped, tempo words for the speed of the pulse. Same seven notes in every demo below; only the sign changes.
Dynamics: p and f
Italian shorthand: piano (p) is soft, forte (f) is loud. mp and mf sit between; pp and ff go further out. They mark intent, not exact decibels.
Articulation: legato and staccato
A slur arcing over notes means legato: each note handed smoothly to the next. Dots over noteheads mean staccato: clipped, detached, bouncing. Same pitches, different walk.
Tempo words
Before metronome numbers, speed was a word at the top left: largo (broad), moderato (walking), presto (flying). You'll still see them on almost every score.
Quiz
1 / 3Listen: p or f?