1. I am your guide to

2. Music Notes Tell You 2 Things.
PITCH
DURATION

3. Note Heads Move 3 Ways.
STEP
SKIP
STAY THE SAME

4. Each Instrument Has Its Own Clef.
Treble Violin
Alto B Viola
Bass Cello
Bass Bass

5. The Music Staff Has 5 Lines And 4 Spaces.

6. The Pitch And Note Name Is Determined By Where The Note Head Is On The Music Staff.

7. Watch For These Road Signs On The Music Staff.
BAR LINE
MEASURE
DOUBLE BAR LINE

8. Bar lines Group Notes into Easy to Read Measures.

9. The Piece Is Over When You See the Double Bar Line Sign.
Double bar line with a repeat sign. :

10. Time Signature 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, C These are common time signatures.
(C=Common Time & is the same as 4/4)
The top number tells you how far you will count in each measure. You start counting with BEAT 1 at each new bar line.
The bottom number tells you what kind of a note will get 1 beat.

11. Key Signatures
The area right after your music clef on the music staff is called the
KEY SIGNATURE
Violin Viola Cello/Bass B
Key of C
There could be sharps, flats or nothing there. You just have to memorize the names of these keys.

12. Let’s get started with D String Notes.
The note names are the same for all instruments.
Violin
Viola B
Cello/Bass G F E D
Basses stop at F

13. Let’s get started with A String Notes.
The note names are the same for all instruments.
Violin
Viola B
Cello
Bass A B C D
Basses stop at C

14. Let’s get started with G String Notes.
The note names are the same for all instruments.
Violin
Viola B
Bass C
Cello B A G
Basses stop at B

15. Let’s get started with Viola/Cello C String Notes.
The note names are the same for Cello and Viola.
Viola B
Cello F E C D

16. Let’s get started with E String Notes.
The note names are the same for Violin and Bass.
Violin A B
Violins use 4th finger on B
Bass G F E

17. Author: Gayla Rothermich
Copyright February 2005