THE SINGERS TOOLKIT
An Incomplete Guide for Baffled Choral Singers

|Staves| |Lines or Systems| |Voices on Staves| |Bars, Barlines, Repeats|

Staves

Notes are written on a STAFF or STAVE. This shows whether they are high or low. Notes can be written on the lines or in the spaces.

Very high or low notes are written on LEGER LINES.

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Lines or Systems

Several staves may be performed at the same time. They are then grouped together with a bracket or a brace: at the left margin. A group of staves is commonly called a LINE (GB) or SYSTEM (US). or

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Voices on Staves

The most common division of voices in a choir is:

These maybe subdivided.

And, of course, the other voices may be similarly subdivided.

The voices are commonly assigned to a 4-stave line or system like this: Sometimes, to save space, the Sopranos and the Altos, and the Tenors and the Basses share a stave. Then, if the note TAILS point upwards, they are Soprano or Tenor notes, and if the tails point downwards, they are Alto or  Bass notes.

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Bars, Barlines, and Repeats

On a stave, BARLINES divide it into smaller units. The gap between two barlines is called a BAR. To mark the end of an important section of a piece, a THIN DOUBLE BARLINE is sometimes used: At the end of a piece, a THICK DOUBLE BARLINE is used. Bars between REPEAT MARKS are sung twice, thus:

Sometimes, there are different endings for the first time a section is sung (1ST TIME BAR) and the second time it is sung (2ND TIME BAR). It is performed thus:

DC al Fine means Return to the beginning and sing to Fine, thus:

DS al Fine means Return to the Distinctive Sign  and sing to Fine, thus:

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