How to read Music Notes

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How to read Music Notes

Is this a familiar question?  If it’s just the treble clef, then that should be easy enough.  But, when writing a theory exam you are required to know how to read BOTH the treble AND the bass clef.  How about learning with a rhyme?  Does  Every  Good  Boy  Deserve  Fun sound familiar? It should…that rhyme has been around for …let’s see …ever. It’s the rhyme I use for my own students when teaching the line notes on staff for the Treble clef.  The spaces in between the lines have always been spelt, F A C E.  Simple enough?

Students seem to feel more comfortable creating a new rhyme for the Bass clef.  The PDF has a rhyme George Buys Dessert Friday Afternoon.  Even though that is okay and for the purpose of teaching today is fine, I prefer using the same Rhyme as for the Treble Clef.  You need to drop the first word …Every…and start with  Good  Boys  Deserve  Fun  Always.  Did you notice a word needed to be added…Always.

When looking at the notes on a staff it is important to remember to read from the bottom of the staff…UP.  Think of climbing a ladder.  The four space notes in the Bass clef have their own rhyme as well…All  Cows  Eat  Grass. Another good method is just to know your alphabet A B C D E F G  that’s it.  The first space in the bass clef (remember to read from the BOTTOM) is A.  The line above would be B, the space above is C the line above that is D, the space above D is E…and that’s how it goes.

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Ida Campana