[Page 6]

Of the Sharp, Flat, and Natural.

The Sharp, thus #, raises a note half a tone. A Flat, thus,
b, lowers a note half a tone. The Natural, thus , takes away
the effect of a sharp or flat. The double sharp, thus x, raises
a note a whole tone. The double flat, thus, bb, lowers a note
a whole tone. The contradiction of a double sharp before a
note, is this, x ; and before a double flat, this, bb b.
A half tone is also called a semitone, and two semitones or half
tones make one whole tone. When sharps or flats are placed
after the clef, at the beginning of a piece of music, they are called
the essential signature, and affect all the notes of the same name
throughout the piece. An Accidental is a sharp, flat, or natural,
which occurs in the course of a piece of music, and affects the
note before which it is placed, and also those of the same name
in that measure. When the last note of a measure is made
sharp, flat, or naural, and the last note of the next measure is
on the same degree or letter it is likewise affected by the same
accidental, though not expressed.

On Time.

To facilitate the reading and performance of music, every
piece is divided into equal parts by lines drawn across the staff,
called Bars, thus: . And the music
between two of those lines is called a measure, (and sometimes
a bar,) and each measure contains an equal quantity of notes, ac-
cording to the signature placed at the beginning of the staff.

There are three kinds of time, viz.: Common, Triple, and
Compound. Simple Common time is expressed by any of the
following figures: C 4/4; C 2/4. Simple Triple time is repre-
ented by 3/2, 3/4, or 3/8. Compound Common time is expressed by
6/8, 6/4, 12/8, or 12/4. Compound Triple time is expressed by 9/8 or 9/4.
Common time is that which contains an equal number of parts
in measure, as 2, 4, 6, or 12. Triple and Compound times are
those which are divisible into three equal parts, as 3 or 9. When
figures are used to represent the time, the lower figure shows
how many times the semibreve is divided, and the upper figure
how many of those parts it takes to fill the measure. For ex-
ample, 2/4 signifies that two-fourths of the whole note fill the
measure, thus: , or their equivalent, and is
called two-four time. Four-crotchet time has four quarters, or
their equivalent, in each measure, thus: -
and is called Simple Common time. Simple triple time. -
The three-minim time has three minims, are their equivalent, in
each measure, and is called three-two time; thus: -
The three-crochet time has three crotchets, or their equ
in each measure, and is called three-four time; thus: -
and the three-eight time, which has three quavers in each meas-
ure, &c.:. Compound Common time. -
The six-eight time has six quavers &c. in a measure; thus: -
12/8, 12/4, and 6/4 are
not much used in modern music. Compound triple time - The
nine-quaver time has nine quavers, &c. in a measure, illegible
called nine-eight time, thus: -
The 9/4 time is not used in modern music.

Of the Slur, and various other Characters used in illegible

The Slur is a curved line, thus, , drawn over or under
two or more notes, and signifies that they are to be played in a
smooth and connected manner. This style of plating notes is
termed lagato. The slur is called a tie or bind, when it is drawn
over or under two notes of the same letter or degree; thus:-
. Notes tied in this manner are played