To Read Music Sheet
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
How To Read Sheet Music.
This tutorial will only teach you the basics you need for reading sheet music. Try to learn at your own pace, stop whenever you want and continue the next time because there is definitely too much to absorb and remember in a short time. Whenever you feel like giving up, just head over here to get some motivation and inspiration! ^^
NOTE: For those who can read sheet music, please do not try to pick out anything that I have omitted as I have done that on purpose so as to not confuse new learners. This information should be sufficient for reading Kpop, Jpop, Cpop, and Canto pop sheet music. Otherwise, if there is something terribly wrong, please leave a message and I will fix it. ^^
SHEET MUSIC READING TUTORIAL
First, know your notes.
White keys are named C D E F G A B (repeats from C).
Read More >> :)
Black keys are named using sharps (#) and flats (♭).
#: one step above specified note e.g. F# is the black key immediately after F.
♭: one step before specified note e.g. B♭ is the black key immediately before B.
Therefore some of the keys can be named in two ways e.g. A# = B♭, C# = D♭, D# = E♭ etc.
These two videos would be helpful 1 & 2
Sheet music is written on staves consisting of 5 lines.
Staves are populated with notes and/or rests. Notes are to be played, whereas rests designate pauses/intervals of silence (nothing is to be played).
The type of notes determine its duration i.e. how long the note is held for.
Similarly, the type of rests determine its duration i.e. how long the pause is held for.
When a dot appears on the right of a note, half the value of the note is added to the original length. For example, a dot on the right of a minim will have the value of 2 + 1 = 3 beats.
The clefs used and position of the notes on the staves determine its pitch i.e. which piano key to play.
There are two clefs:
treble clef - usually indicates notes for right hand
bass clef - usually indicates notes for left hand
It goes on. After E as shown in the diagram, each step up the stave will give you F, G, A, B, C etc. Ledger lines will be drawn when the 5 line staves run out of space.
Similiarly, it goes on. After A (on the left) as shown in the diagram, each step down the stave will give you G, F, E, A, B etc. Ledger lines will be drawn when the 5 line staves run out of space.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVeBY3WV4hphrbHZFZpmKbzRYykhxQVMdCBgWJMJ32hnhrs1lxcodLNNVENwUfja3ezd1ucTwTc66ou-i0I3dE3-fg-fDKl1PzzOJVquAANxzSSzngiVSlWTUBJX065XpDSjBHRxGbwM/s1600-h/basstrebleoverlap.JPG
Sometimes in sheet music, notes written for bass and treble clef might cross into each other's space. As shown in the diagram above, the top two designate the same note key (E), and the bottom two designate the same note key (A).
Sheet music looks something like this. This diagram introduces key signature and time signature.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCC02gN5ZqUXnH9T5njcDzylgeHEp5FxQ7epkI5WG7Op887gUQZrY-XzRq9WZAD1bj8OiC_pDm21RQtDxiUWXhSz2YkyrhKICxRNNv3ivIdeyjAEaDWOuVD1Xz_446z-OHvHFqsBPVWFk/s1600-h/sheetstart.JPG
Key signature tells you which notes are sharped or flattened throughout the whole sheet music, until otherwise indicated.
In this diagram, the key signature shows that all F and C notes are to be sharped throughout, therefore played as F# and C#. At any instance should the natural symbol, ♮ appear beside F or C, the sharps are cancelled out for that whole bar.
Time signature tells you how many beats there are in a bar. 4/4 indicates 4 crotchet beats in a bar (also indicated by c symbol). Other time signatures are as such:
2/4: 2 crotchet beats in a bar
3/4: 3 crotchet beats in a bar
6/8: 6 quaver beats in a bar
9/8: 9 quaver beats in a bar
12/8: 12 quaver beats in a bar
To sum all of the basics above up and put into application, here is an example.
Key signature has F#, C#, G#, D#, A#. Remember that all these keys are sharped throughout unless otherwise indicated. Time signature is 4/4. There are 4 crotchet beats in a bar.
(brackets) indicate to play at the same time.
Bar 1, Bar 3:
- Right Hand: (E,G#) for 1 beat. (E, B) for 1 beat. (E, B) for 1 beat. (E) for 1 beat.
- Left Hand: (E, B, C#) for 4 beats.
Bar 2, Bar 4:
- Right Hand: (B, D, F#) for 2 beats. (D) for half beat. (C#) for half beat. (F#, B) for half beat. (C#) for half beat.
- Left Hand: (G) for one beat. (D) for one beat. (G) for one beat.
You will have to synchronise your left and right hands according to the beats.
Miscellaneous:
1. When there are more than one quaver/semiquaver/demisemi/hemidemisemiquaver side by side, their stems (tails) will be joined up.
2. When two same notes are joined by a tie, you only play the note once. For example,
Play F for 1 beat.
Play A for 0.5 beat.
Play E for 0.5 + 1 = 1.5 beats.
Play A for 0.5 beat.
Play D for 0.5 + 1 = 1.5 beats.
If you have any questions, do leave a comment here. If anything is unclear /I have missed out anything I will come back to edit. In the meanwhile, enjoy your newly learnt skill! ^_^
NB: it's from http://smrr00.blogspot.com/2007/11/how-to-read-sheet-music.html
How To Read Sheet Music.
This tutorial will only teach you the basics you need for reading sheet music. Try to learn at your own pace, stop whenever you want and continue the next time because there is definitely too much to absorb and remember in a short time. Whenever you feel like giving up, just head over here to get some motivation and inspiration! ^^
NOTE: For those who can read sheet music, please do not try to pick out anything that I have omitted as I have done that on purpose so as to not confuse new learners. This information should be sufficient for reading Kpop, Jpop, Cpop, and Canto pop sheet music. Otherwise, if there is something terribly wrong, please leave a message and I will fix it. ^^
SHEET MUSIC READING TUTORIAL
First, know your notes.
White keys are named C D E F G A B (repeats from C).
Read More >> :)
Black keys are named using sharps (#) and flats (♭).
#: one step above specified note e.g. F# is the black key immediately after F.
♭: one step before specified note e.g. B♭ is the black key immediately before B.
Therefore some of the keys can be named in two ways e.g. A# = B♭, C# = D♭, D# = E♭ etc.
These two videos would be helpful 1 & 2
Sheet music is written on staves consisting of 5 lines.
Staves are populated with notes and/or rests. Notes are to be played, whereas rests designate pauses/intervals of silence (nothing is to be played).
The type of notes determine its duration i.e. how long the note is held for.
Similarly, the type of rests determine its duration i.e. how long the pause is held for.
When a dot appears on the right of a note, half the value of the note is added to the original length. For example, a dot on the right of a minim will have the value of 2 + 1 = 3 beats.
The clefs used and position of the notes on the staves determine its pitch i.e. which piano key to play.
There are two clefs:
treble clef - usually indicates notes for right hand
bass clef - usually indicates notes for left hand
It goes on. After E as shown in the diagram, each step up the stave will give you F, G, A, B, C etc. Ledger lines will be drawn when the 5 line staves run out of space.
Similiarly, it goes on. After A (on the left) as shown in the diagram, each step down the stave will give you G, F, E, A, B etc. Ledger lines will be drawn when the 5 line staves run out of space.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVeBY3WV4hphrbHZFZpmKbzRYykhxQVMdCBgWJMJ32hnhrs1lxcodLNNVENwUfja3ezd1ucTwTc66ou-i0I3dE3-fg-fDKl1PzzOJVquAANxzSSzngiVSlWTUBJX065XpDSjBHRxGbwM/s1600-h/basstrebleoverlap.JPG
Sometimes in sheet music, notes written for bass and treble clef might cross into each other's space. As shown in the diagram above, the top two designate the same note key (E), and the bottom two designate the same note key (A).
Sheet music looks something like this. This diagram introduces key signature and time signature.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCC02gN5ZqUXnH9T5njcDzylgeHEp5FxQ7epkI5WG7Op887gUQZrY-XzRq9WZAD1bj8OiC_pDm21RQtDxiUWXhSz2YkyrhKICxRNNv3ivIdeyjAEaDWOuVD1Xz_446z-OHvHFqsBPVWFk/s1600-h/sheetstart.JPG
Key signature tells you which notes are sharped or flattened throughout the whole sheet music, until otherwise indicated.
In this diagram, the key signature shows that all F and C notes are to be sharped throughout, therefore played as F# and C#. At any instance should the natural symbol, ♮ appear beside F or C, the sharps are cancelled out for that whole bar.
Time signature tells you how many beats there are in a bar. 4/4 indicates 4 crotchet beats in a bar (also indicated by c symbol). Other time signatures are as such:
2/4: 2 crotchet beats in a bar
3/4: 3 crotchet beats in a bar
6/8: 6 quaver beats in a bar
9/8: 9 quaver beats in a bar
12/8: 12 quaver beats in a bar
To sum all of the basics above up and put into application, here is an example.
Key signature has F#, C#, G#, D#, A#. Remember that all these keys are sharped throughout unless otherwise indicated. Time signature is 4/4. There are 4 crotchet beats in a bar.
(brackets) indicate to play at the same time.
Bar 1, Bar 3:
- Right Hand: (E,G#) for 1 beat. (E, B) for 1 beat. (E, B) for 1 beat. (E) for 1 beat.
- Left Hand: (E, B, C#) for 4 beats.
Bar 2, Bar 4:
- Right Hand: (B, D, F#) for 2 beats. (D) for half beat. (C#) for half beat. (F#, B) for half beat. (C#) for half beat.
- Left Hand: (G) for one beat. (D) for one beat. (G) for one beat.
You will have to synchronise your left and right hands according to the beats.
Miscellaneous:
1. When there are more than one quaver/semiquaver/demisemi/hemidemisemiquaver side by side, their stems (tails) will be joined up.
2. When two same notes are joined by a tie, you only play the note once. For example,
Play F for 1 beat.
Play A for 0.5 beat.
Play E for 0.5 + 1 = 1.5 beats.
Play A for 0.5 beat.
Play D for 0.5 + 1 = 1.5 beats.
If you have any questions, do leave a comment here. If anything is unclear /I have missed out anything I will come back to edit. In the meanwhile, enjoy your newly learnt skill! ^_^
NB: it's from http://smrr00.blogspot.com/2007/11/how-to-read-sheet-music.html
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