Musical symbols: discover 10 easy ways to read piano sheet music

Understanding the meaning of the various musical symbols is the crux of reading piano sheet music. These symbols were devised more than 1,000 years ago and have become the cornerstone of musical notation in the Western world. With helpful and clear instructions, the world of written music is at your fingertips. Here are 10 easy ways to learn musical symbols.

#1 – The simpler the note, the harder! A simple oval (a whole note) is worth 4 beats.

#2 – Add a stem and halve its value. An oval with a stem (a half note) is worth 2 beats.

#3 – Color it black and halve its value. A black oval with a stem (a black) is worth 1 count.

#4 – If you add a period after a note, you add half of its value. A half note is worth 2 beats. A dotted white is worth 2 + 1 = 3 beats.

#5 – If you see a # sign, this is called a sharp. It refers to the black notes of the piano. C is a white note. C# is the next black note from C.

#6 – If you see a “b” sign (it will be a pointed b), this is called a flat. Again it refers to the black notes of the piano. D is a white note. Db is the next quarter note below D.

#7 – “p” in music means piano. This means playing quietly.

#8 – “f” in music means forte. This means playing loud.

#9 – The treble clef refers to notes above middle C on the piano.

#10 – Bass clef refers to the notes below middle C.