Names of Music Notes and Clefs, Reading Music Notes, How to, Pitch, Lesson, Tutorial

Learn the how to of reading music notes and clefs. The definition is simple but beginners sometimes miss the vital first steps of learning to read sheet music which is why it is covered in this tutorial.

Learn the Names of Musical Notes & Clefs

In modern, standardized music, there are seven note names which conform with the first seven letters of the alphabet: A, B, C, D, E, F and G.

If you play or sing the notes in order, starting with A, you would restart with "A" after "G," only at a higher pitch. For example: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C and so on. Eight notes in a row (in this case, from "A" to "A") are called an octave.

And, as notes can reach in sound from a profound bass (very low) to a high soprano, they're kept apart in written music by two different clefs: treble and bass.
Clef and note illustration
As a common rule, notes that follow a treble clef reach from mid-level up to very high in tone. Notes that follow a bass clef range from mid-level down to the deepest of tones.

NOTE: There is also a "C" clef, which is occasionally used for cello, tenor trombone, bassoon and viola. Even so, we'll soley be discussing the treble and bass clefs.

More Great Music Reading Tutorials and Tips

Learn about the Length of Music Notes - Learn about musical note length in this helpful tutorial about reading music.

Learn about Key Signatures - This might sound a little technical but it's not really. Just a couple of symbols but key signatures play a major role in how music is made.

Learn to Read Music Free
Music Articles
Listen to a Before and After Singer
Singing Tips by Email

Free music tutorial online

Other music sites of interest