1. How 2 Read Music

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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’

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

7. 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)

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

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

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

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

12. 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

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

14. 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

15. MIDDLE C
MIDDLE C

16. 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

17. TONES & SEMITONES
TONES are whole notes
C to D

18. TONES & SEMITONES
TONES are whole notes
D to E

19. TONES & SEMITONES
TONES are whole notes
F to G

20. TONES & SEMITONES
TONES are whole notes
G to A

21. TONES & SEMITONES
TONES are whole notes
A to B

22. TONES & SEMITONES
SEMITONES are HALF notes
E to F

23. TONES & SEMITONES
SEMITONES are HALF notes
B to C

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

25. 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 ?

26. 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

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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. C D
ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

32. D E
ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

33. F G
ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

34. G A
ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

35. A B
ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

36. F
ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

37. E
ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

38. C
ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

39. B
ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES

40. B
ONE NOTE – TWO NAMES
ENHARMONIC EQUIVOLENCE

41. 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

42. 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’.

43. FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

44. FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

45. FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

46. FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

47. FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

48. FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

49. FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

50. FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

51. FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

52. FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

53. FINDING PITCH FROM SHEET MUSIC

54. What Key Are these Songs In?

55. 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’

56. SCALES & NUMBERS
We’ll start with the key of ‘C’
C1 to C8 is known as an OCTAVE

57. SCALES & NUMBERS
We’ll start with the key of ‘C’ /
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.

58. 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
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

59. 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
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

60. 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.
Do Ra Me Fa So La Te Do

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

62. 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

63. 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

64. Notes 7 Note Values & Timing
2 Beats To The Bar
3 Beats To The Bar
4 Beats To The Bar

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

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

67. 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)

68. 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)

69. 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 = 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

70. 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.

71. 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.

72. 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

73. Triplets (Tuplets)

74. What Can We Read Here?

75. What Can We Read Here?

76. 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)

77. HOW TO READ MUSIC
This presentation is available to view or download on the club website –
Go To: Members Area Document Centre
Copyright – Lincoln BHC 2010