semiquavers
Brief musical tones
Semiquavers are musical notes equal to one-sixteenth of a whole note—the British term for what Americans call sixteenth notes.
They're written with filled noteheads, stems, and double flags or beams.
In fast passages, streams of semiquavers create rapid, ornamental runs: The pianist's fingers flew through the semiquavers.
Brief musical duration units
rests · quavers · crotchets · staves · ledger lines · time signatures · note values · groupings
- runsMoves fast on foot
- trillsRapid pitch alternations
- ornamentsDecorative embellishments for display
- embellishmentsDecorative extras added on
arpeggios · scales · fingering · articulation · staccato · legato · velocity · precision
Portions of a whole
- pulseArterial blood throb
- tempoRate of musical performance
- syncopationStressed unexpected beats
- countingDetermining quantity sequentially
meter · timing · duration · speed · allegro · presto · vivace · accents
Excessively ornate or elaborate
- classicalOf ancient Greece/Rome
- fuguesPolyphonic musical compositions
- BachGerman composer surname
- VivaldiBaroque composer from Venice
etudes · sonatas · concertos · chamber music · orchestral · piano repertoire · Chopin · Liszt
sixteenth notes
Brief musical duration units
tails · rests · quavers · crotchets · staves · ledger lines · time signatures · note values · groupings · subdivisions
fast passages
embellishments · arpeggios · scales · fingering · articulation · staccato · legato · velocity · precision · dexterity
subdivisions
Portions of a whole
- pulseArterial blood throb
- tempoRate of musical performance
- syncopationStressed unexpected beats
counting · meter · timing · duration · speed · allegro · presto · vivace · accents · patterns
baroque
Excessively ornate or elaborate
Vivaldi · etudes · sonatas · concertos · chamber music · orchestral · piano repertoire · Chopin · Liszt · harpsichord
semiquaverswhole notes
Four-beat musical symbols
breves · half notes · minims · maxima · quarter notes