How 2 Read Music. A lot of people think music is difficult to read--but it's not. It's actually the simplest written language there is. And once you get.

How 2 Read Music

A lot of people think music is difficult to read--but it's not. It's

actually the simplest written language there is. And once you get the basics down, the rewards will last a lifetime.

STAVES

Sheet music comprises two staves each of 5 lines. The lines and spaces produced by these lines refer

directly to the white notes on a keyboard

Treble Clef

STAVES

The upper STAVE or TREBLE CLEF carries the notes forThe LEADS and TENORS

Treble Clef - (C Clef)

STAVES

The upper STAVE or TREBLE CLEF carries the notes forThe LEADS and TENORS

The dot at the bottom of theCLEF is on MIDDLE ‘C’

Bass Clef

STAVES

The lower STAVE or BASS CLEF carries the notes forThe BASSES and BARITONES

Bass Clef – (F Clef)

STAVES

The lower STAVE or BASS CLEF carries the notes forThe BASSES and BARITONES

The two dots next to the Bass Clefindicate the position of the note ‘F’

W hich no te do I sing?

LeadTreble Clef – Tails Down

Which Note Do I Sing ?


BassBass Clef – Tails Down



TenorTreble Clef – Tails Up



BaritoneBass Clef – Tails Up



TenorTreble Clef – Tails Up

LeadTreble Clef – Tails Down

BaritoneBass Clef – Tails Up

BassBass Clef – Tails Down


FA

CE

EG

BD

F

Spaces & Lines

EatGoodBreadDearFather

Spaces Lines

Treble Clef (Top Line)

AC

EG

Spaces & Lines

AllCowsEatGrass

Spaces

Lines

Bass Clef (Bottom Line)

GB

DF

A

GoodBoysDeserveFoodAlways

MIDDLE C

MIDDLE C

Keep Going…..

It’s also possible to keep going once you reach the top or bottom of the stave

C D E F G A B C

C B A G F E D C

Short lines are drawn to indicate the stave extension

TONES & SEMITONES

TONES are whole notes

C to D

TONES & SEMITONES


D to E

TONES & SEMITONES


F to G

TONES & SEMITONES


G to A

TONES & SEMITONES


A to B

TONES & SEMITONES

SEMITONES are HALF notes

E to F

TONES & SEMITONES


B to C

TONES & SEMITONES


Every note on a keyboard is a half note

ACCIDENTALS

Singing Barbershop music would be impossible if wecould only use the WHITE notes on the keyboard.

Relatively speaking, our music contains a high proportionof BLACK notes to create its harmonies,

To signify that a BLACK note is required on the keyboard,we prefix the nearest white note with an accidental sign.

There are two of these which condition the WHITE notes –

they are the ? and the ?

ACCIDENTALS

Singing Barbershop music would be impossible if wecould only use the WHITE notes on the keyboard.

Relatively speaking, our music contains a high proportionof BLACK notes to create its harmonies,

To signify that a BLACK note is required on the keyboard,we prefix the nearest white note with an accidental sign.

There are two of these which condition the WHITE notes –

they are the SHARP and the FLAT

ACCIDENTALS

The SHARP Raises a WHITE noteto one semitone above

ACCIDENTALS


The FLAT Lowers a WHITE noteto one semitone below

ACCIDENTALS


The FLAT Lowers a WHITE noteto one semitone below

The NATURAL Cancels a SHARPor FLAT

ACCIDENTALS

G Natural – G Sharp – G NaturalA Bar Line also cancels an Accidental

G Natural – G SharpExcept if the note is TIED across the Bar

C D

ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

D E


F G


G A


A B


F


E


C


B


B


ENHARMONIC EQUIVOLENCE

Double Sharp / Double Flat

There are occasions when an arranger will throw in aDouble Sharp or a Double Flat.

All it does is Sharpen a note by 2 semitones or Flattena note by 2 semitones

A Double Flat = G

C Double Sharp = Dx

KEY SIGNATURES

KEY SIGNATURES say – ‘Instead of singing the white noteon this line or space every time it appears, sing the appropriateblack one.This reduces the need to write the accidental everytime it is needed’.

FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

N o Sharps or F lats = C



1F lat = F



1F lat = F 2 F lats = B F lat



1F lat = F 2 F lats = B F lat 3 F lats = E F lat




4 F lats = A F lat




4 F lats = A F lat 5 F lats = D F lat



1 S har p = G



1 S har p = G 2 S har ps = D



1 S har p = G 2 S har ps = D 3 S har ps = A




4 S har ps = E




4 S har ps = E 5 S har ps = B

What Key Are these Songs In?

SCALES & NUMBERS

When working on scales it is useful to allocate numbers to the notes

We’ll start with the key of ‘C’

SCALES & NUMBERS


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

C1 to C8 is known as an OCTAVE

SCALES & NUMBERS


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8/1 2 3

IMPORTANT:Notes 3 to 4 an 7 to 8 are always SEMITONES in every scale, no matter what the key. The others arealways full tones.


SCALES & NUMBERS

Example Scale for the key of B Flat

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Notes 3 to 4 (D to E Flat) and 7 to 8 (A to B Flat) are SEMITONES

If the Key Signature is FLAT then the half notes (semitones) are always identified as flats

2 F lats = B F lat

SCALES & NUMBERS

Example Scale for the key of D

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Notes 3 to 4 (F Sharp to G) and 7 to 8 (C Sharp to D) are SEMITONES

If the Key Signature is SHARP then the half notes(semitones) are always identified as SHARPS

2 S har ps = D

Tonic Sol-Fa

The Tonic Sol-Fa is a method used for teaching sight singing.

It is a system whereby every tone is given a name according to it’s relationship with other tones in the key.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Do Ra Me Fa So La Te Do

Semibreve(Whole Note)

Minim(Half Note)

Crotchet(Quartet Note)

Quaver(Eighth Note)

Semiquaver(Sixteenth Note)

Note Values & Timing


Semibreve(Whole Note)

Minim(Half Note)

Crotchet(Quartet Note)

Quaver(Eighth Note)

Semiquaver(Sixteenth Note)

If there is no melody at a particular point, this is indicatedby a REST of the same value

Beamed Notes

BEAMS connect Eighth Notes (Quavers) and notes of shorter values

Quavers - Semiquavers

Crotchets & notes of higher value are never Beamed

Notes 7 Note Values & Timing

2 Beats To The Bar

3 Beats To The Bar

4 Beats To The Bar


2 Beats To The Bar

3 Beats To The Bar

4 Beats To The Bar COMMON TIME

Bar Lines

Bar Lines (Used to separate measures – Time Signatures)

A Bar Line extended to connect the Upper & Lower

staff is called a GRAND STAFF


4/4 = 4 Notes to the Bar

1 Semibreve(1 = 4 Beats)

2 Minims(1 = 2 Beats)

2 Crotchets (1 = 1 Beat)+2 Quavers (2 = 1 Beat)+4 Semiquavers (4 = 1 Beat)


3/4 = 3 Notes to the Bar

3 Crotchets(1 = 1 Beat)

2 Minims(1 = 2 Beats)+4 Quavers(4 = 2 Beats)

2 Quavers(2 = 1 Beat)+2 Crotchets(2 = 2 Beats)

Dotted Note

A dot placed after a note increases the duration of that note by half its original value (Rests can also be dotted)

(Bar 1) 2 Minims = 2 Beats Each = 4

(Bar 2) 1 Dotted Minim = 3 + 1 Crotchet = 4

(Bar 1) 4 Crotchets = 1 Beats Each = 4

(Bar 2) 2 Crotchets + 1 Dotted Crotchet + 1 Quaver = 4

(Bar 1) 3 Crotchets = 1 Beats Each = 3

(Bar 2) 1 Crotchet + 1 Dotted Crotchet + 1 Quaver = 4

Fermata

An indefinitely-sustained note or chord. Usually appears over all parts at the same location to show a halt in tempo.

It can be placed above or below the note.

Fermata

An indefinitely-sustained note or chord. Usually appears over all parts at the same location to show a halt in tempo.

It can be placed above or below the note.

Triplets (Tuplets)

Triplets are a number of notes of irregular duration performed within the duration of a given number

of notes of regular time value.

In the above examples: 3 notes sung with the value of 2

Triplets (Tuplets)

What Can We Read Here?



Please refer to your Barberpole Cat Book

1. Wild Irish Rose (Page 3)

2. Sweet & Lovely (Page 6)

3. Shine On Me (Page 13)

HOW TO READ MUSIC

This presentation is available to view or downloadon the club website – www.harmonylincs.org

Go To:Members AreaDocument Centre

Copyright – Lincoln BHC 2010

How 2 Read Music. A lot of people think music is difficult to read--but it's not. It's actually the simplest written language there is. And once you get.

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