Learning how to read music is an essential step in becoming a skilled musician and vocalist. However, it can be challenging at first. This article introduces the basics of reading music and helps you get started!
The Staff
The musical staff consists of five lines and four spaces. Notes are placed either on a line (centered on it) or in a space (between two lines). Each line and space represents a specific pitch. When a note appears on a particular line or space, it indicates which pitch to play.
The staff divides into sections by vertical lines called bar lines. The space between two bar lines is a bar (or measure).
Clefs
A clef is a musical symbol that tells the musician which notes correspond to the lines and spaces on the staff. There are four main clefs: Treble, Bass, Alto, and Tenor. Of these, the two most commonly used are Treble and Bass.
In Treble clef, the lines from bottom to top represent the notes E, G, B, D, and F. A common mnemonic to remember this is “Every Good Boy Deserves Fun.” The spaces represent the notes F, A, C, and E, which spell out “FACE.”
In Bass clef, the lines (from bottom to top) represent the notes G, B, D, F, and A. You can remember this with the phrase “Great Birds Don’t Fly Away.” The spaces correspond to A, C, E, and G, which you can remember with “All Cows Eat Grass.”
Ledger Lines
Ledger lines are used to write notes that are higher or lower than the staff. To figure out the pitch of a note on a ledger line, simply count up or down from the nearest note you recognize on the staff.
Sharps and Flats
Sharps and flats raise and lower the pitch of notes, respectively. On a piano, they correspond to the black keys. A sharp raises a note by a semitone, while a flat lowers it by a semitone.
Key Signatures
A key signature appears at the beginning of each line of music and indicates which notes are always sharp or flat throughout the piece unless otherwise marked.
The key signature also tells the musician what key the piece is in. In music, the key of a piece of music . The most common scale is the major scale. If you’ve ever sung “Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do,” you’ve sung a major scale!
Timing & Note Durations
Music unfolds over time, so musicians need to know how long to hold each note. This information is governed by the beat, which is the underlying unit of time in music — where you’d tap your foot to the rhythm. Note durations are measured in relation to the beat.
Timing and note durations can be complex, but in most common cases, the following holds true:
For further clarity, check out this video:
Time Signatures
Understanding time signatures can be one of the harder parts of learning how to read music. A time signature appears at the beginning of a piece of music and tells the musician how many beats are in each bar. The top number indicates how many beats per measure, and the bottom number tells what type of note gets the beat.
For example, in 4/4 time, the top number (4) means there are four beats per measure, and the bottom number (4) indicates the quarter note gets the beat. This means each measure adds up to four quarter notes.
In contrast, in 6/8 time, the top number (6) tells us there are six beats per measure, and the bottom number (8) shows that the eighth note gets the beat, so each measure adds up to six eighth notes.
Dynamics
Dynamics in music show how loudly or softly to play a note or passage. These markings are crucial for expressing the mood and intensity of a piece. Italian terms and symbols indicate changes in volume in the music.
Here are some common dynamic markings:
Dynamics add expression to music, allowing musicians to convey emotion and nuance beyond the notes themselves.
Closing Notes
We hope this article has helped you understand the basics of how to read music! If you’d like to fast-track your musical progress, reach out to us today to work with one Toronto’s premier music teachers!
