How To Read Music
These five lines are called the staff or stave.
Music notes are written in the spaces and on the lines of the staff.
Treble Clef
This symbol is called a treble clef. There is a treble clef at the beginning of every line of keyboard music.
The Treble Staff
A staff with a treble clef written on it is called a treble staff. Notes on the treble staff are usually played with your right hand.
Music Notes
There are only seven letters used for notes in music. They are:
These notes are known as the musical alphabet.
Keyboard music is written in the spaces and on the lines of the treble staff. In this book the letter name of each note is placed inside the note head.
Notes and Rest Values
The Quarter Note
This music note is called a quarter note. A quarter note lasts for one beat.
Music is divided into bars (sometimes called measures) by bar lines. In this example there are two bars of music.
The Four Four Time Signature (*)
The two numbers after the clef are called the time signature. This is called the four four time signature. It tells you there are four beats in each bar. There are four quarter notes in one bar of * time.
The Notes Middle C, D and E
C Note
Middle C is written just below the treble staff on a short line called a ledger line. The small triangle on each keyboard diagram in this book points to middle C. See How to Find Middle C to locate middle C on the keyboard.
Middle C is played with the first finger (thumb) of your right hand.
D Note
The D note is played with the second finger of your right hand.
E Note
The E note is played with the third finger of your right hand.
In the following example there are four bars of music, two bars of middle C (bars 1 and 4), one bar of the D note (bar 2) and one bar of the E note (bar 3). There are four quarter notes in each bar.
The final bar at the end indicates that the example has finished.
The Half Note
This is a half note. It lasts for two beats. There are two half notes in one bar of * time.
The Whole Note
This is a whole note. It lasts for four beats. There is one whole note in one bar of * time.
The larger bold numbers in the count indicate that a note is to be played. The smaller numbers indicate that a note is to be held until the next bold number (note).
This song contains quarter, half and whole notes. Make sure you use the correct finger for each note and follow the count carefully.
The Notes F and G
F Note
The F note is played with the fourth finger of your right hand.
G Note
The G note is played with the fifth finger of your right hand.
The song Aura Lee contains 8 bars of music in * time. Remember to count as you play to help you keep time.
Things to Remember
- Play the keys with the tips of your fingers.
- Keep your fingers curved.
