Accidental: The general term refering to the use of the sharp, flat, or natural.

Alto Clef: This symbol indicates where middle C is on a music staff. This is where it gained the nickname 'C Clef'.

Bass Clef: This symbol indicates where the F below middle C is on a music staff. This is where it gained the nickname 'F Clef'. In modern music it is almost exclusively found indicating the 4th line from the bottom of the staff. Together the Treble and Bass clef's make the Grand Staff.

Clef: The symbol used at the begining of a music staff to indicate which lines and spaces will represent which notes. In modern western music only three Clefs' are poularly used. The Treble or' G Clef', the Bass or 'F Clef', and the Alto or 'C Clef'.

Diatonic: Describes the notes which occur naturally in a scale without being affected by an accidental other than those in its' key signature. These pitches are organized in alphabetical order with out any letters being skipped. The only repeated letter is the one that both begins and therefore ends the scale.

Flat: A sign (b) that is used to indicate that a note is to be lowered by a half step. Also, a word used to describe a pitch as being below it's intended sound.

Half Step: The smallest interval used in Western Music. There are 12 half-steps in an octave. On the piano keyboard half steps occur naturally between the pitches E & F and B & C. They are also between each white key and the black key directly next to it. This interval is also refered to as a semitone.

Key Signature: The Key Signature is usually located between the Clef and the Time Signature on a music staff. It indicates which notes are to be sharp or flat during a piece of music. In short this symbol may be called the "Key" of a piece of music.

Octave: Describes the distance from one pitch to another eight notes away. Both pitches will have the same letter name.

Pitch: A sound created through the vibration of matter. The speed of the vibration determines its' pitch. The speed of the vibration must remain constant for a definite pitch to be determined.

Sharp: A sign (#) that is used to indicate that a note is to be raised by a half step. Also, a word used to describe a pitch as being above it's intended sound.

Staff: The 5 horizontal lines upon which music is written. Usually included on a Staff are: a Clef, a Key Signature, and a Time Signature.

Time Signature: The Time Signature is usually located after both the Clef and the Key Signature on a music staff. It indicates which rhythm will receive one beat and how many of those rhythms will be in one measure during a piece of music.

Tonic: The Tonic refers to the root pitch of the musical selection in question. It is the first note of a scale and the pitch on which the I chord is built.

Treble Clef: This symbol indicates where the G above middle C is on a music staff. This is where it gained the nickname 'G Clef'. In modern music it is almost exclusively found indicating the 2nd line from the bottom of the staff. Together the Treble and Bass clef's make the Grand Staff.

Whole Step: An interval which is made up of two half steps. Sometime refered to as a whole tone.