Reading Sheet Music

Learning to read sheet music is an essential skill for any musician. This guide will help you understand the basic concepts of music notation, including note values, measures, line notes, space notes, and beats. By mastering these elements, you’ll be able to read and perform music. Check it out!

Check out more exercises and concepts in my Free Sheet Music Library!

Understanding Note Values

In sheet music, note values indicate the duration of each note. Here are the most common note values you’ll encounter:

Whole Note

• Symbol: A hollow oval with no stem.
• Duration: 4 beats.
• Description: The whole note is the longest standard note value in modern music notation. It is sustained for the full duration of a measure in common time (4/4).

Half Note

• Symbol: A hollow oval with a stem.
• Duration: 2 beats.
• Description: The half note is half the duration of a whole note.

Quarter Note

• Symbol: A filled-in oval with a stem.
• Duration: 1 beat.
• Description: The quarter note is one-fourth the duration of a whole note. It is sustained for one beat in common time.

Eighth Note

• Symbol: A filled-in oval with a stem and a single flag. Multiple eighth notes will be beamed together as shown in the PDF above.
• Duration: 1/2 beat.
• Description: The eighth note is one-eighth the duration of a whole note. It is sustained for half a beat in common time. When counting eighth notes, musicians often say “and” between the beats (e.g., “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and”).

There are, of course, more note values than these (including 16th notes). Learning and memorizing these should be enough to get you started!

Measures

Music is divided into small sections called measures or bars. Each measure contains a specific number of beats, which is determined by the time signature. Measures help organize the music and make it easier to read and follow. In common time (4/4), each measure contains 4 beats.

Line Notes and Space Notes

The staff, which is the foundation of music notation, consists of five lines and four spaces. Each line and space represents a different musical note. The PDF shown above is using treble clef as a demonstration. Piano uses treble and bass clef. Bass guitar will use bass clef.

Line Notes

Line notes are those whose note heads rest on the lines of the staff.

• Treble Clef Line Notes: E, G, B, D, F (from bottom to top)
• Way to Remember: “Every Good Boy Does Fine”
• Bass Clef Line Notes: G, B, D, F, A (from bottom to top)
• Way to Remember: “Good Boys Do Fine Always”

Space Notes

Space notes are those whose note heads rest between the lines of the staff.

• Treble Clef Space Notes: F, A, C, E (from bottom to top)
• Way to Remember: “FACE”
• Bass Clef Space Notes: A, C, E, G (from bottom to top)
• Way to Remember: “All Cows Eat Grass”

Beats

Beats are the basic unit of time in music. They help musicians keep track of the rhythm and tempo of a piece. Counting beats is essential for ensuring that each note is played for the correct duration.

In 4/4 time, there are 4 beats per measure. When reading music, you count each beat to keep your place and maintain the rhythm. For eighth notes, you count using “and” to subdivide the beats (e.g., “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and”).

Putting It All Together

Reading sheet music involves understanding the note values, measures, line notes, space notes, and beats. Here’s what’s happening in the first four measures in the PDF to illustrate these concepts:

• First Measure: An ‘E’ note sustained for 4 beats (whole note).
• Second Measure: Notes changing every beat (quarter notes).
• Third Measure: Notes that are 2 beats long (half notes).
• Fourth Measure: Notes that are 1/2 beat long (eighth notes).

By familiarizing yourself with these basic elements, you’ll be able to read and interpret sheet music, allowing you to play a wide range of musical pieces. Happy practicing!