This is the Cmajor scale. We can see that every line and space has a note on it (a quarter note at that).

More Symbols

The squiggly line in the first measure is a treble clef. This assigns certain notes to certain lines and spaces; if it were a bass clef, the notes would all be different.

There are two parts to learning how to read musical notation. One is rhythm and the other is the notes and pitches that are played with the rhythms. This lesson will focus on the pitches, including which lines make certain pitches and such. There are five lines and four spaces to music, so let's check them out. We will start with an example and then explain it.

At the top it says "moderate quarter note = 120" This shows the tempo, or speed, of the music. The speed of music is measured in beats per minute, or bpm. "Moderate" is just an adjective and doesn’t neccisarily assign a specific speed to the music. However when it says a quarter note is equal to 120, which means we will be playing 120 beats every minute, or tapping our foot 120 times every minute. To get a better handle on how fast this is, it’s about 2 beats per second. The examples in GLI usually don't include the tempo. This is because it is important to start practicing at a slow, comfortable pace and then pick up speed. If we gave you a pre-determined tempo, then you might feel stressed when you try to play it that quickly.

We already know that the 4-4 means that the time signature is in 4/4 time, or 4 quarter notes per measure. Also, the numbers at the top of each measure are the measure numbers; again, nothing new there.

Now, let's give those lines and spaces some meaning. The spaces from bottom to top are F, A, C, E. Yes, the spaces spell face, which is the easiest way to remember. In fact, it’s probably going to be hard to not memorize them this way. So the 4th beat or note in the first measure is an F note. The second beat of measure two is an A and the 4th beat is a C. The 2nd beat in the 3rd measure is an E.

Now, we'll move on to the lines. I’m sure you’ve heard of the analogy "Every Good Boy Does Fine. There are many analogies and they all work the same. This helps us to remember the names of the lines in music, from bottom to top. E is the bottom line and the following lines are G, B, D, F. In the example, test yourself and see if you can name the notes without looking at these two answer keys. Also, use the video as a resource if you have any questions. If you want to practice the C maj scale, it will only help. Try to memorize the scale and name each of the notes as you play them. If you have any questions, you can always check out the GLI forum