How to Read Music
These five lines are called the staff or stave.
The Treble Clef
This symbol is called a treble clef. There is a treble clef at the beginning of every line of most vocal sheet music.
The Treble Staff
A staff with a treble clef written on it is called a treble staff.
Music Notes
There are only seven letters used for notes in music. They are:
These notes are known as the musical alphabet. Music notes are written in the spaces and on the lines of the treble staff.
Note and Rest Values
The Quarter Note
This music note is called a quarter note. A quarter note lasts for one beat.
Bar lines are drawn across the staff, which divides the music into sections called bars or measures. A double bar line signifies the end of an important section of music, while a final bar line is written at the end of a piece.
The Four Four Time Signature
These two numbers are called the four four time signature. They are placed after the treble clef.
The * time signature tells you there are four beats in each bar. There are four quarter notes in one bar of music in * time.
The following example demonstrates two bars of quarter notes in * time. In the first bar, all four notes are on the same pitch (a middle C note) while the second bar contains four notes of varying pitches. The pitch of a note has no effect on how long the note should sound, i.e., a quarter note lasts for one beat regardless of whether it is a G, C, F, or any other pitch.
The most important thing here is the rhythm. Don’t worry about the pitches too much at this stage, as singing accurate pitches from written music takes a lot of practice and is often impossible without first hearing a reference pitch from an instrument (e.g., keyboard or guitar).
Listen to the example and imitate the sounds you hear. Sing each note using the syllable la. Also practice reading the music and counting the rhythm out loud. Another valuable way to practice rhythms is to tap your foot and count on each beat while clapping the written rhythm.
The Half Note
This music note is called a half note. It has a value of two beats. There are two half notes in one bar of * time.
The next example contains two bars of half notes in * time. To make sure you start your first note in the right place, count 1, 2, 3, 4 before starting. This will help you get the feel of the rhythm. As you proceed through the example, think -one two as you sing the first note in each bar and - three four as you sing the second note in each bar.
Tap your foot on each beat to help you keep time. On the recording there are four drumbeats to introduce examples in * time. Count along with the beats to help you establish the correct tempo (speed).
The big numbers 1 and 3 tell you to sing the note. The small numbers 2 and 4 tell you to sustain it until the next note. Notice that there are four beats in each bar. Once again, use the syllable la to sing this example.
Now try this one which combines half notes and quarter notes.
