Editing Musical notation (section)

==Modern staff notation==
{{Main|List of musical symbols}}

[[File:Chopin Prelude 7.png|thumb|upright=1.8|An example of modern musical notation: Prelude, Op. 28, No. 7, by [[Frédéric Chopin]] {{audio|Chopin Prelude 7.mid|Play}}]]

Modern music notation is used by musicians of many different genres throughout the world. The staff (or stave, in British English) consists of 5 parallel horizontal lines which acts as a framework upon which pitches are indicated by placing oval note-heads on (ie crossing) the staff lines, between the lines (ie in the spaces) or above and below the staff using small additional lines called [[ledger line]]s. Notation is read from left to right, which makes setting music for right-to-left scripts difficult. The '''pitch''' of a note is indicated by the vertical position of the note-head within the staff, and can be modified by [[accidental (music)|accidentals]]. The '''duration''' (note length or [[note value]]) is indicated by the form of the note-head or with the addition of a note-stem plus beams or flags. A stemless hollow oval is a [[whole note]] or semibreve, a hollow rectangle or stemless hollow oval with one or two vertical lines on both sides is a [[double whole note]] or breve. A stemmed hollow oval is a [[half note]] or minim. Solid ovals always use stems, and can indicate [[quarter note]]s (crotchets) or, with added beams or flags, smaller subdivisions. Additional symbols such as [[dotted note|dots]] and [[Tie (music)|ties]] can lengthen the duration of a note.

A staff of written music generally begins with a [[clef]], which indicates the pitch-range of the staff. The [[treble clef]] or G clef was originally a letter G and it identifies the second line up on the five line staff as the note G above middle C. The [[bass clef]] or F clef identifies the second line down as the note F below middle C. While the treble and bass clef are the most widely used, other clefs, which identify middle C, are used for some instruments, such as the [[alto clef]] (for [[viola]] and [[alto trombone]]) and the [[tenor clef]] (used for some [[cello]], [[bassoon]], [[Trombone|tenor trombone]], and [[double bass]] music). Some instruments use mainly one clef, such as violin and flute which use [[treble clef]], and [[double bass]] and [[tuba]] which use [[bass clef]]. Some instruments, such as [[piano]] and [[pipe organ]], regularly use both treble and bass clefs.

Following the clef, the [[key signature]] is a group of 0 to 7 [[sharp (music)|sharp]] ([[Sharp (music)|♯]]) or [[flat (music)|flat]] ([[Flat (music)|♭]]) signs placed on the staff to indicate the [[key (music)|key]] of the piece or song by specifying that certain notes are sharp or flat throughout the piece, unless otherwise indicated with [[accidental (music)|accidentals]] added before certain notes. When a flat ([[Flat (music)|♭]]) sign is placed before a note, the pitch of the note is lowered by one semitone. Similarly, a sharp sign ([[Sharp (music)|♯]]) raises the pitch by one semitone. For example, a sharp on the note D would raise it to [[D♯ (musical note)|D♯]] while a flat would lower it to [[D♭ (musical note)|D♭]]. [[Double sharp]]s and [[double flat]]s are less common, but they are used. A double sharp is placed before a note to make it two semitones higher, a double flat - two semitones lower. A [[natural sign]] placed before a note renders that note in its "natural" form, which means that any sharp or flat applied to that note from the key signature or an accidental, is cancelled. Sometimes a [[courtesy accidental]] is used in music where it is not technically required, to remind the musician of what pitch is required.

Following the key signature is the [[time signature]]. The time signature typically consists of two numbers, with one of the most common being {{music|time|4|4}}. The top "4" indicates that there are four beats per measure (also called [[Bar (music)|bar]]). The bottom "4" indicates that each of those beats are quarter notes. Measures divide the piece into groups of [[beat (music)|beats]], and the time signatures specify those groupings. {{music|time|4|4}} is used so often that it is also called "[[common time]]", and it may be indicated with {{music|commontime}} rather than numbers. Other frequently used time signatures are {{music|time|3|4}} (three beats per bar, with each beat being a quarter note); {{music|time|2|4}} (two beats per bar, with each beat being a quarter note); {{music|time|6|8}} (six beats per bar, with each beat being an eighth note) and {{music|time|12|8}} (twelve beats per bar, with each beat being an eighth note; in practice, the eighth notes are typically put into four groups of three eighth notes. {{music|time|12|8}} is a [[compound time]] type of time signature). Many other time signatures exist, such as {{music|time|2|2}} or {{music|time|3|8}}.

Many short [[classical music]] pieces from the [[classical period (music)|classical era]] and songs from [[traditional music]] and [[popular music]] are in one time signature for much or all of the piece. Music from the [[Romantic music]] era and later, particularly [[contemporary classical music]] and [[rock music]] genres such as [[progressive rock]] and the [[hardcore punk]] subgenre [[mathcore]], may use [[mixed meter]]; songs or pieces change from one meter to another, for example alternating between bars of {{music|time|5|4}} and {{music|time|7|8}}.

Directions to the player regarding matters such as [[tempo]] (e.g., [[Andante (tempo)|Andante]]) and [[dynamics (music)|dynamics]] (e.g., forte) appear above or below the staff. Terms indicating the [[musical expression]] or "feel" to a song or piece are indicated at the beginning of the piece and at any points where the mood changes (e.g., "Gelassen") For vocal music, lyrics are written near the pitches of the melody. For short pauses (breaths), [[retake]]s (retakes are indicated with a ' mark) are added.

In music for [[musical ensemble|ensembles]], a "[[sheet music|score]]" shows music for all players together, with the staves for the different instruments and/or voices stacked vertically. The [[conducting|conductor]] uses the score while leading an [[orchestra]], [[concert band]], [[choir]] or other large ensemble. Individual performers in an ensemble play from "parts" which contain only the music played by an individual musician. A score can be constructed from a complete set of parts and vice versa. The process was laborious and time consuming when parts were hand-copied from the score, but since the development of [[scorewriter]] computer software in the 1980s, a score stored electronically can have parts automatically prepared by the program and quickly and inexpensively printed out using a computer printer.

===Variations on staff notation===
[[File:Lead-sheet-wikipedia.svg|thumb|A lead sheet]]
[[File:Chord chart.svg|thumb|A chord chart. {{audio|Chord chart.mid|Play}}]]
* [[Percussion notation]] conventions are varied because of the wide range of percussion instruments. Percussion instruments are generally grouped into two categories: pitched (e.g. [[glockenspiel]] or [[tubular bells]]) and non-pitched (e.g. [[bass drum]] and [[snare drum]]). The notation of non-pitched percussion instruments is less standardized. Pitched instruments use standard Western classical notation for the pitches and rhythms. In general, notation for unpitched percussion uses the five line staff, with different lines and spaces representing different [[drum kit]] instruments. Standard Western rhythmic notation is used to indicate the rhythm.
* [[Figured bass]] notation originated in [[Baroque music|Baroque]] [[Figured bass|basso continuo]] parts. It is also used extensively in [[accordion]] notation. The bass notes of the music are conventionally notated, along with numbers and other signs that determine which chords the harpsichordist, organist or lutenist should improvise. It does not, however, specify the exact pitches of the harmony, leaving that for the performer to improvise.
* A [[lead sheet]] specifies only the melody, lyrics and harmony, using one staff with [[chord notation|chord symbols]] placed above and lyrics below. It is used to capture the essential elements of a [[popular music|popular song]] without specifying how the song should be arranged or performed.
* A [[chord chart]] or "chart" contains little or no melodic or voice-leading information at all, but provides basic harmonic information about the [[chord progression]]. Some chord charts also contain rhythmic information, indicated using [[slash notation]] for full beats and rhythmic notation for rhythms. This is the most common kind of written music used by professional [[session musician]]s playing [[jazz]] or other forms of [[List of popular music genres|popular music]] and is intended primarily for the [[rhythm section]] (usually containing [[piano]], [[guitar]], [[Bass guitar|bass]] and [[drum]]s).
* Simpler chord charts for songs may contain only the chord changes, placed above the lyrics where they occur. Such charts depend on prior knowledge of the melody, and are used as reminders in performance or informal [[group singing]]. Some chord charts intended for [[rhythm section]] accompanists contain only the chord progression.
* The [[shape note]] system is found in some church hymnals, [[sheet music]], and song books, especially in the [[Southern United States]]. Instead of the customary elliptical note head, note heads of various shapes are used to show the position of the note on the major scale. [[Sacred Harp|''The Sacred Harp'']] is one of the most popular tune books using shape notes.