An accent (>) above or below a note means play that note louder than the ones around it.
It is a local instruction, not a dynamic change: the passage stays at its marked volume and one note leans out of it. Accents are how a rhythm gets its character, especially off the beat.
How to spot it
A small sideways v above or below the note head, pointing right.
Find it in thirty seconds
Play a bar of even eighth notes, then play it again with an accent on every third note. Same notes, entirely different music.
Open any piece of sheet music on this site and do it now. Reading is a recognition skill, and recognition is built by finding things, not by reading about them.
Related Topics...
How to Read Sheet Music: Learn how to read sheet music using interactive lessons from Chordzy. Or browse our various reading music topics.
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