READING MUSIC BASICS

By: CougarBos


Reading music to me is easier then reading TAB. But I learned to read music in the 3rd grade when I took saxophone
in school. However, even though I can read music. I personally don’t know where the notes are on a guitar. I took
saxophone and trumpet in public schools not the guitar!

In time, I'll have one of our Users on our channel discuss notes and the guitar. Then may be I will learn something
new and know where the notes are on the guitar. Its should be that difficult even thought there are six (6) strings
and something like 19 frets on a guitar. So on a guitar one (1) note could be played in several different places.
Question is where and why?

As one of our Users on #guitartab told me: “I don’t know how you can read notes and not TAB?”Fact is I guess
I have a mental block! I can read TABS but I read them slower then reading NOTES

You learn how to read notes one at a time.

There are 2 basic kinds of clefs. The clef you will see on your music depends on what instrument you play.

When you look at a sheet of music, you will see two (2) CLEFS: 1. Treble Clef and 2. Bass Clef.

images/treble1.gif - 943 Bytes                 images/bass1.gif - 876 Bytes

You might wonder why there are 2 different clefs. The reason is that most instruments using the bass clef usually
have a lower pitch (sound) and regulary play low notes. If they were to use the treble clef the notes would appear
so far below the staff it would be hard to read.

Here are the the names of the notes for both clefs. Although you only really to know 1 or the other, it is good
practice to know both.

The treble clef:

mages/treblenote1.gif - 2500 Bytes
The bass clef:

images/bassnote1.gif - 2354 Bytes

The fact of the matter is, you only have severn (7) basic notes and they are:

(A-B-C-D-E-F-G)

Anyone can remember 8 things. Especially the letter from A to G! You already know these and in order from
learning your alphabet. Now all you have to do is hook them up to the treble clef and that isn't hard to do either.

On the treble clef, the notes that fall on the lines in ascending order are:

(E G B D F)

which can easily be remembered by the phrase "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge" in which the first letter of the
words corresponds to the note name. The empty spaced between the lines in ascending order are F A C E which
can easily be remembered since they spell the word "FACE". So if you put them together you get:

(E F G A B C D E)

For the notes on the treble clef. I will draw a diagram to better illustrate these note names:

All you have to do is remember this saying: "EVERY GOOD BOY DOES FINE:

(E,G,B,D,F)

The following notes are from left to right named:

(E G B D F)

images/treble2.gif - 1656 Bytes


The following notes are from left to right named F A C E:

images/face.gif - 1497 Bytes

The following picture shows all the notes on the treble clef from left to right named:

E F G A B C D E F.

images/e_to_f.gif - 1869 Bytes

There is a lot more to reading music. However, the above is the basics! I will add and discuss other things in the
future such as FLATS and SHARPS as well as NOTE TIMING and different symbols. So check this page out at least
on a weekly basis. Start now in learning your notes. This should take you less then a week to do! I will also get
into the BASS CLEF for those of you who need to know!




Questions & Comments? Email: ltb999@hotmail.com



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