Teach me how to read sheet music?

[Lanakin]

I REALLY need someone who knows how to read sheet music (piano) to tell me what all the stuff is. The songs I want to learn to play completely are all from different Final Fantasy games (All hail Nobuo). I know how to play bits and peices of them, but not ALL of the lower/quieter - sounding notes. I also can't figure out when I'm supposed to press 2 keys at once, or what. I have an electric keyboard, so I'm not sure how it is supposed to sound. So if you could somehow teach me how to read this sheet music, it would be much appreciated. If not, I'll have figure out the rest of the song and have it memorized within the next month or so. But not played perfectly. I could really use some help here.

:woo:

[MsDwee]

I don't think that reading sheet music is something you can learn over the internet, unless you find a good tutorial website - until you know what you're doing, a lot of the symbols look like squiggles, and they can be difficult to describe, especially if we don't know what the pieces look like.

I'd suggest trying to find someone who knows how to play an instrument near to you and asking them to help. Preferably someone who plays the piano themselves, or someone classically trained as they're more likely to read music than play by ear - someone who plays piano would know about treble and bass clef, whereas someone who plays flute or violin only (for example) would only be used to playing in a limited range of notes in the treble clef mainly and usually only one note at a time, and so they would be able to help you out but perhaps not so well for what you want. Plus someone who played piano could play the pieces to you so you know how they should sound.

[Lanakin]

Our only music teacher only stays at our high school for like an hour and 20 per day because he teaches mostly middle school =/ But hopefully next year or much later this year they'll put the piano class back in so I can learn how to read the stuff. Till then, guess I gotta stick it out with my ears. Oh well. More fun, eh?

:woo:

[Andy Murray]

Many musicians on the forum, myself included.

Ask some specific questions, and maybe we can help?

[Lanakin]

Alright. Just lemme pull up the sheet.

Ok. I got lots of questions.

1. What is the set of lines the notes are on called?

2. When there's a line through the note, does that just mean it's not in the "Set of lines" and needs it there? Or is it something else?

3. What are the bold lines that connect come music notes called, what does it mean, and does it mean anything when the "Broad lines" are on top or bottom? (What's the difference, anyways)

4. What does it mean when the note is empty? (Not filled in, just white in the middle.

5. I noticed there's like two dots just next to some of the notes (Usually the non-filled ones), and wondering what they're for.

6. Right above the & thing at the beginning of each line ( I think it's called a clef? :confused: ) there's numbers. What does that mean?

7. Sometimes there's # things next to the notes. What's that all about?

8. Also, sometimes there's a double "Broad line" connecting some notes. What's that?

9. What is the thing with the two dots next to it called? Umm.. It looks kind like a backwards curved "C" with two dots to the right of it.

Any help at all would be appreciated. Thanks alot.

:woo:

**Edit**

I also saw this box looking thing next to some notes. I'll try to make it out.. Umm..

_L7TSomething like this, except both the lines are vertical. Probably looks nothing like it.. Oh well.

:woo:

[bcullen]

Alright. Just lemme pull up the sheet.

Ok. I got lots of questions.

1. What is the set of lines the notes are on called?

2. When there's a line through the note, does that just mean it's not in the "Set of lines" and needs it there? Or is it something else?

3. What are the bold lines that connect come music notes called, what does it mean, and does it mean anything when the "Broad lines" are on top or bottom? (What's the difference, anyways)

4. What does it mean when the note is empty? (Not filled in, just white in the middle.

5. I noticed there's like two dots just next to some of the notes (Usually the non-filled ones), and wondering what they're for.

6. Right above the & thing at the beginning of each line ( I think it's called a clef? :confused: ) there's numbers. What does that mean?

7. Sometimes there's # things next to the notes. What's that all about?

8. Also, sometimes there's a double "Broad line" connecting some notes. What's that?

9. What is the thing with the two dots next to it called? Umm.. It looks kind like a backwards curved "C" with two dots to the right of it.

Any help at all would be appreciated. Thanks alot.

:woo:

**Edit**

I also saw this box looking thing next to some notes. I'll try to make it out.. Umm..

_L7TSomething like this, except both the lines are vertical. Probably looks nothing like it.. Oh well.

:woo:

Wow. um, o.k ... I play guitar and a few other instruments. I really hate string insturment sheet music, well for guitar anyway, Go tableture.

The & thing is the treble clef, basicly the melody, the inverted C the bass clef showing the ryhthm portion. The numbers are the time signature i.e. number of beats per measure. The thin vertical lines mark the measure. The colon means repeat the bold vertical section again (may give repeat x times in notes) The funny box thing, the # denote flat or sharp. The lines connecting notes are eighth or sixteenth notes usually (played faster then the other notes in the measure). Sqiggly lines are rests, hollow squares are whole rests. the hollow notes without staves are whole notes. Please tell me you understand 1st 3rds and 5ths (the concept of chords)?

Hope that helps

[semphoon]

Alright. Just lemme pull up the sheet.

Ok. I got lots of questions.

OK its been a while but ill try to answer them!


1. What is the set of lines the notes are on called?

LEDGER, MEASURE or (STAVE?)


2. When there's a line through the note, does that just mean it's not in the "Set of lines" and needs it there? Or is it something else?

I think that you are talking about when the tone is higher or lower than the stave allows. You therefore need ledger lines as you have to indicate the pitch is higher or lower.


3. What are the bold lines that connect come music notes called, what does it mean, and does it mean anything when the "Broad lines" are on top or bottom? (What's the difference, anyways)

Right they are "beams". They indicate the duration that the note is held (it doesnt matter that they "pointing" up or down). If it has one beam the note lasts for 1/2 a beat (quaver) or two beams lasts for a quater of a beat (semi quaver)


4. What does it mean when the note is empty? (Not filled in, just white in the middle.

I think that you are talking about a minnum (it means that the note lasts two whole beats)


5. I noticed there's like two dots just next to some of the notes (Usually the non-filled ones), and wondering what they're for.

A dot after a note increases the duration that the note is held. So two dots means that it increase by 1.5

The minnum (the "unfilled note") should last for two beats. One dot after a minnum = 3 beats. two dots after a minnum = 3 and a half beats.

6. Right above the & thing at the beginning of each line ( I think it's called a clef? :confused: ) there's numbers. What does that mean?

That is the time signature, will usually be 4/4 in western music

7. Sometimes there's # things next to the notes. What's that all about?

Its a sharp sign. It increases the pitch of the note by a smemi-tone

8. Also, sometimes there's a double "Broad line" connecting some notes. What's that?

SEE QUESTION 3.


9. What is the thing with the two dots next to it called? Umm.. It looks kind like a backwards curved "C" with two dots to the right of it.

That might be the "bass clef" as opposed to the treble clef.



Any help at all would be appreciated. Thanks alot.

:woo:

**Edit**

I also saw this box looking thing next to some notes. I'll try to make it out.. Umm..

_L7TSomething like this, except both the lines are vertical. Probably looks nothing like it.. Oh well.

:woo:

[StorDuff]

All I remember from 6th grade band percussion was that the lines were called E G B D F from top to bottom, every good boy does fine :o

[dragon_bunny]

thought that was the notes that was on the line not what the line was called? but then i haven't done anything musical in about 3 years now.. i forget ;)

[semphoon]

All I remember from 6th grade band percussion was that the lines were called E G B D F from top to bottom, every good boy does fine :o

It depends on the clef- treble (looks like a fancy "G") or bass (the backwards "C"). There is also "alto" clef.

Treble lines are E G B D F (EVERY GOOD BOY DESERVES FOOTBALL)
the spaces between lines are F A C E (EH....FACE)

Bass lines are G B D F A (GOOD BASSISTS DESERVE FUNK ALWAYS)
the spaces between lines are A C E G (ALL COWS EAT GRASS)

The is no real short cut for learning to read music, just practice.

Although I worked out for myself that you should look at the relationship between notes rather than trying to "figure out" every note. Ill explain if anyone wants (it just its a long explanation so cant be bothered)

[Knight_Errant]

To get used to reading music, you have to put in the hours behind your instrument. Just like to get your techniques right, you have to do the rounds shadow boxing and hitting the bag. To start with, it will be a contrived activity. You will count the number of lines. you will find one note and remember where it is so you can work out all the others. You will get frustrated. You will hate what you are doing. You will want to strangle whatever bunterish medieval ladyboy monk invented the damn thing.
But stick with it. After playing for a few years, you won't even notice. You'll just know what note it is from looking at it. Hang in there.

[semphoon]

To get used to reading music, you have to put in the hours behind your instrument. Just like to get your techniques right, you have to do the rounds shadow boxing and hitting the bag. To start with, it will be a contrived activity. You will count the number of lines. you will find one note and remember where it is so you can work out all the others. You will get frustrated. You will hate what you are doing. You will want to strangle whatever bunterish medieval ladyboy monk invented the damn thing.
But stick with it. After playing for a few years, you won't even notice. You'll just know what note it is from looking at it. Hang in there.

Excellent post.

Learning to read music isn't fun but reading music is.

[bcullen]

Wow! lots of musical people here too :)

I should have mentioned that you'll need to scan ahead so that your playing the first measure while reading the notes in the second measure. As others have mentioned it takes practice.