How 2 Read Music

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

The upper STAVE or TREBLE CLEF carries the notes for STAVES The upper STAVE or TREBLE CLEF carries the notes for The LEADS and TENORS Treble Clef

STAVES Treble Clef - (C Clef) The upper STAVE or TREBLE CLEF carries the notes for The LEADS and TENORS Treble Clef - (C Clef) The dot at the bottom of the CLEF is on MIDDLE ‘C’

STAVES Bass Clef The lower STAVE or BASS CLEF carries the notes for The BASSES and BARITONES Bass Clef

STAVES Bass Clef – (F Clef) The lower STAVE or BASS CLEF carries the notes for The BASSES and BARITONES The two dots next to the Bass Clef indicate the position of the note ‘F’ Bass Clef – (F Clef)

Treble Clef – Tails Down Which Note Do I Sing ? Lead Treble Clef – Tails Down

Which Note Do I Sing ? Bass Bass Clef – Tails Down

Which Note Do I Sing ? Tenor Treble Clef – Tails Up

Baritone Bass Clef – Tails Up Which Note Do I Sing ? Baritone Bass Clef – Tails Up

Baritone Bass Clef – Tails Up Which Note Do I Sing ? Tenor Treble Clef – Tails Up Lead Treble Clef – Tails Down Baritone Bass Clef – Tails Up Bass Bass Clef – Tails Down

Spaces & Lines Treble Clef (Top Line) F Father E D Dear C B Bread A G Good F E Eat Spaces Lines

Spaces & Lines Bass Clef (Bottom Line) G Grass E Eat Spaces C Cows A All A Always F Food D Deserve Lines B Boys G Good

MIDDLE C MIDDLE C

Short lines are drawn to indicate the stave extension Keep Going….. It’s also possible to keep going once you reach the top or bottom of the stave Short lines are drawn to indicate the stave extension C D E F G A B C C B A G F E D C

TONES & SEMITONES TONES are whole notes C to D

TONES & SEMITONES TONES are whole notes D to E

TONES & SEMITONES TONES are whole notes F to G

TONES & SEMITONES TONES are whole notes G to A

TONES & SEMITONES TONES are whole notes A to B

TONES & SEMITONES SEMITONES are HALF notes E to F

TONES & SEMITONES SEMITONES are HALF notes B to C

TONES & SEMITONES SEMITONES are HALF notes Every note on a keyboard is a half note

ACCIDENTALS Singing Barbershop music would be impossible if we could only use the WHITE notes on the keyboard. Relatively speaking, our music contains a high proportion of 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 we could only use the WHITE notes on the keyboard. Relatively speaking, our music contains a high proportion of 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

Raises a WHITE note to one semitone above ACCIDENTALS Raises a WHITE note to one semitone above The SHARP

Raises a WHITE note to one semitone above The SHARP ACCIDENTALS Raises a WHITE note to one semitone above The SHARP Lowers a WHITE note to one semitone below The FLAT

Raises a WHITE note to one semitone above The SHARP ACCIDENTALS Raises a WHITE note to one semitone above The SHARP Lowers a WHITE note to one semitone below The FLAT Cancels a SHARP or FLAT The NATURAL

G Natural – G Sharp – G Natural A Bar Line also cancels an Accidental ACCIDENTALS G Natural – G Sharp – G Natural A Bar Line also cancels an Accidental G Natural – G Sharp Except if the note is TIED across the Bar

C D ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

D E ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

F G ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

G A ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

A B ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

F ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

E ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

C ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

B ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

B ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES ENHARMONIC EQUIVOLENCE

Double Sharp / Double Flat There are occasions when an arranger will throw in a Double Sharp or a Double Flat. All it does is Sharpen a note by 2 semitones or Flatten a note by 2 semitones A Double Flat = G C Double Sharp = D x

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

FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

What Key Are these Songs In?

When working on scales it is useful to allocate numbers to the notes 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 We’ll start with the key of ‘C’ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 C1 to C8 is known as an OCTAVE

SCALES & NUMBERS We’ll start with the key of ‘C’ 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 are always full tones.

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

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

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) Quaver (Eighth Note) Note Values & Timing Semibreve (Whole Note) Quaver (Eighth Note) Minim (Half Note) Semiquaver (Sixteenth Note) Crotchet (Quartet Note)

Semibreve (Whole Note) Quaver (Eighth Note) Note Values & Timing Semibreve (Whole Note) Quaver (Eighth Note) Minim (Half Note) Semiquaver (Sixteenth Note) Crotchet (Quartet Note) If there is no melody at a particular point, this is indicated by a REST of the same value

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

Notes 7 Note Values & Timing 2 Beats To The Bar 3 Beats To The Bar 4 Beats To The Bar COMMON TIME

Bar Lines (Used to separate measures – Time Signatures) A Bar Line extended to connect the Upper & Lower staff is called a GRAND STAFF

Notes 7 Note Values & Timing 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)

Note Values & Timing 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.

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

What Can We Read Here?

1. Wild Irish Rose (Page 3) 2. Sweet & Lovely (Page 6) 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 download on the club website – www.harmonylincs.org Go To: Members Area Document Centre Copyright – Lincoln BHC 2010