How to Read Music by Interval or by Notes

Written music is the way by which musicians communicate. The system uses blank music paper, called staff paper, consisting of lines and spaces. Musicians place notes on those lines and space that indicates the tone to be played, how high or low the notes is played, and the note's duration. Getting familiar with the music staff, in addition to the major keys of music, will help you recognize music by notes and by interval.

Things You'll Need

• Music introduction book
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Blank sheet of music paper

Instructions

1. Learn the notes in the chromatic scale. This is the scale that contains all twelve notes in western music (13 if you count the octave, which is the first note repeated one octave higher). These notes are C-C#-D-D#-E-F-F#-G-G#-A-A#-B-C. The major scales are built from these notes.

2. Learn the music staff. It consists of four spaces and five lines. Each space represents a note. The four spaces are F-A-C-E. This should be easy to remember; it's the word FACE. The lines are E-G-B-D-F. Use the phrase Every Good Boy Does Fine to remember these lines. Going above the top line, the notes continue in order; the top line is F, the space above it is G, the first line is A, and so on. Going below the bottom line, you follow the musical alphabet backward; The first line is E, the space before it is D, the first line below the staff is C, and so on. Notice that every note has a sharp except between the E and F and the B and C. There is only a half step between these two sets of notes.

3. Study the notes in the chromatic scale or any major scale and count. You can think of the distance in terms of intervals or steps. From C to D is a whole step; from C to E is two whole steps. From any note to the same note with a sharp or a flat sign, the distance is a half step. Example: C-C#-D. From C to C# is a half step. From C to D is a whole step. You won't find a sharp or flat sign between the notes E and F or B and C. There is only a half step between the notes.

4. Find intervals by counting. From C to F is three steps, also called a third. If the F is an F flat (b), the interval will be called a flatted third: it's a half-step shy of being a third. If you have a C major scale, containing the notes C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C, but the composer decides to put a sharp in front of the F, the interval is called a raised fifth. An F# would be one half-step above the F.

5. Study music theory a half-hour or so each week. Learning all there is to know about notes and how they work together can be a lifelong study. Any music store will be able to sell you a good music theory book. You can also find one at the library, or even online free of charge.

References

• Datadragon: Introduction to Reading Music
• Intervals: The Building Blocks of Music