How to Read Vocal Musical Notes

Being able to read music notes can open your eyes to a whole new level of the music world. Following is a skeletal layout of basic note-reading for vocalists.

Things You'll Need

• Sheet music
• Vocal recording of the sheet music, optional

Instructions

How to Read Vocal Music Notes

1. 

   Determine from which clef (also referred to as a "staff") you are reading, because the note names are different in each. The upper staff is the treble clef and the lower staff is the bass clef. (Picture shows a treble clef.)

2. Each note represents a specific sound, or pitch, in music. As the note placement moves up the staff, the pitch, or musical sound, will go higher. On the contrary, as the note placement moves down the staff, the pitch, or musical sound, will go lower.

3. In its most basic sense, each staff consists of 5 lines and 4 spaces. These lines and spaces have specific note names, thus specific note sounds that they make.

4. The note names of the spaces on the treble clef (the upper staff) can be remembered using the acronym F-A-C-E. The note names of the lines on the treble clef can be remembered by using the acronym Every-Good-Boy-Deserves-Fudge (E-G-B-D-F).

5. The note names of the spaces on the bass clef (the lower staff) can be remembered using the acronym All-Cows-Eat-Grass (A-C-E-G). The note names of the lines on the bass clef can be remembered by using the acronym Great-Big-Dogs-Fight-Animals (G-B-D-F-A).

6. Note naming in both clefs starts with the lowest line or space, and goes up from there.

7. Note duration determines how long a specific note will be sung. Note durations (based on a basic 4/4 time signature) include the following:
   whole note: gets 4 beats of duration
   half note: gets 2 beats of duration
   quarter note: gets 1 beat of duration
   eighth note: gets half a beat of duration

8. Where a rest mark appears, no note is to be sung. Depending on the rest mark, the length of rest will vary.

9. Music is divided into musical units called "measures" which are separated by bars.

10. Any music piece will begin by declaring a certain time signature. This is usually indicated in the first measure of the musical piece. The time signature will have one number over another number, such as 4/4 or 3/4.

11. In a time signature, the top number represents how many beats are in each measure, or bar; the bottom number represents what note gets the beat. For instance, in a 3/4 time signature, there will be three beats in each measure, and the quarter note (represented by the number "4") is the note that gets the beat.

12. Another way to understand the concept of a time signature is to look at the bottom note like you would a fraction. The "4" stands for 1/4 (therefore, the quarter note gets the beat); a "2" stands for 1/2 (therefore, the half note gets the beat) and so on.

13. This principle remains the same, no matter how many beats are in each measure (in other words, it does not matter what the top number in a time signature is).

14. Accomplishing a musical discipline requires time, practice, and patience. Try playing a song on a CD while following along on the sheet music. Then you can get a feel for how the notes move up and down with the tune, and hear where the artist takes a "pause" where rest marks may be located.

Tips & Warnings

• Joining a church choir or community chorus is a great way to learn vocal basics for free. Listen to and memorize the "Do-Re-Mi" song and scene selection in the movie "The Sound of Music." Your vocal cords are a muscle: The more you sing with them (properly) the stronger they get. Children's music books are a great beginning resource, due to their simplicity. When sight reading music, try to look ahead at the note to come to see if the pitch will move up or down.

• When reading music notes, sing in a range that is comfortable for you. Forcing sound too high or too loud may cause permanent vocal damage.

Resources

• Sight reading tips and resource ideas to purchase