Q&A for How to Read Music

The following wikiHow article will be useful: How to Read Music. You can also find books and online tutorials on the subject.

Learning to read music is not very difficult. There are mnemonic devices that are used to read the treble and bass clefs (the primary staffs used in music).

Music theory is akin to the grammar of a language. It teaches you how its structure and syntax functions.

In music, an "x" stands for a "double sharp." For instance, let's say the note F has an "x" in front of it. That means you'd play the note F two semitones above, making it enharmonically a note G.

When you're reading music, the symbol that has an arch with a dot over it is called a fermata. This symbol means you need to hold the note that has the fermata longer than what it's given value is.

Typically, music is divided up by measures. You can recognize measures by looking for a staff that crosses the barlines.

Unless the notes are marked otherwise, all the notes in the song that correspond to the keys in the beginning are the ones that are sharp or flat. For instance, if you have a song with Bs in it, and the key signature has a flat in the B note area, then all Bs are flat, unless the conductor marks it as not flat.

That symbol means neutral clef, and it is used for instruments that have no pitch (like a snare drum or a base drum.) In neutral clef, all high percussion instruments (snare) have their music written on the third line of the staff, and low percussion instruments (base drum) have music written on the first space of the staff.

It means that two notes are played at the same time. For example, A and C are played in the same quarter note.

You would pull your bow across the strings ( G, D, A, and E), and use correct fingering to create the notes that you see on the page.

Yes. You read music just like you would read a book, except the words are the notes.

It usually takes a few months if you are constantly and strategically reading the music.

Try 8notes.com or Musescore. Musescore is user-made, but sometimes you can find quality sheets.

Some instruments are not written for at their actual sounding pitch. These are called transposing instruments. For example, the clarinet is pitched in the key of B flat, meaning that notes written sound a major second lower than written. Some instruments, like the contrabassoon, are in the key of C, but they sound an octave lower than notated.

The sharps and flats next to the clef indicate in what key the piece of music is. For example, if there is a sharp next to the clef on the F line, that means every F note in the piece will be an F#, and that piece of music is in the key of G.

Yes and no. All sheet music follows the same system with a staff and how the notes are written, but instruments are in different keys, so the actual notes may be different. Also, bass clef and treble clef have the notes on different lines (as it was shown in an above image), so you need to bear in mind what clef you play in.

If you are referring to the curve that is sometimes between two notes, that is a slur. A slur means you change notes but you do it automatically; so if you play a wind instrument, you wouldn't tongue the slurred note, but you will change the note/fingering. Instead of it sounding like ta ta, it will sound like ta-ya.

Each string, going from bottom (the strings nearest you) to top, is labeled as follows: E, A, D, G, B, E. Playing these strings by themselves will produce these pitches. As for the frets, each fret represents one semitone. On the E string, the first fret will be an F, the second fret will be an F#, the next a G and so on.

You can use it for almost all instruments, but this "How to" doesn't show the Alto Clef, which is a clef used with the viola, English horn, trombone, bassoon, and mandolin.

It means you go further in the score until you meet the coda symbol. It is usually used at the end to bring a conclusion.

Continue descending using the C scale on the staff through the supplementary lines until you come upon the note. After a while, you learn these by heart.

The upper staff is the treble clef and the lower staff is the bass clef, which means the the upper staff will mostly contain notes above the half of the piano from middle C and vice-versa.

Three-quarter (3/4) is a time signature that means there are three beats in one measure.

There is a website called "AstLessons." It should be helpful. It is free. Go and try it.

Music Theory for Dummies comes in book format with a DVD.

It can start from any note. As a matter of fact, it doesn't have to be based on the C major scale. However, we begin learning to read music on this scale as it is easier.

An open note is played on a string without pressing a fret. A closed note is played when the string is fretted.

Most music is written for the G clef, however, you can tweak the examples to fit the F clef if you want to. Music is read the same way, no matter what the clef is.

It means that the note you're supposed to play is already sharp, but the composer wants you to add another sharp to the note. This is why it is named a "double-sharp".

Look to the key signature or the same note that is previously notated in the bar. If it's dictated that it has an accidental, then follow that; if there is no marking, it is usually natural.