Enter a small motif

Enter a small motif — guided practice

Write and inspect a four-note musical idea.

Open small-steps-A.mscz. Start with bar 1 only: C4, D4, E4, G4, all quarter notes. In treble clef, C4 sits on the short ledger line immediately below the staff.

1. 1. Choose the starting point

   Click the rest in bar 1, then press N for the default Input by note name mode. Press 5 for quarter-note duration. Hover over middle C on its ledger line and click once.

   You should see: The first note is C4 with a filled notehead and a stem.

   Choosing the starting octave prevents the whole phrase from entering too high or low.

2. 2. Finish the motif

   With note entry still active, press D, E, G in order without holding Shift. Press Esc to leave note entry. Read the four note positions: C4 ledger line, D4 space below staff, E4 bottom line, G4 second line from bottom.

   You should see: Bar 1 contains four single quarter notes: C4 D4 E4 G4.

   Letter entry chooses nearby octaves and moves forward in time; Shift would add chord tones.

3. 3. Correct an octave if needed

   If a note is an octave away from its intended staff position, select it and use Ctrl+Up or Ctrl+Down (Cmd on Mac) once to shift by an octave. Use Undo if the wrong note changes. Do not use this as a substitute for checking the starting location.

   You should see: The motif stays in the C4–G4 region.

   A note letter alone does not specify its octave.

4. 4. Listen and describe

   Select the first note and press Space to play, then Space to stop. Write that the line rises by nearby notes and then skips from E to G. Save. If sound is unavailable, compare the written staff positions instead.

   You should see: The motif has a recognizable upward shape and four beats.

   Describing contour connects the visible notes with the intended musical motion.