Music Notation Symbols

LINES

STAFF OR STAVE
There are five lines that is the alphabet (pitch) to reading
or writing music. The lines and spaces are numbered
from bottom to top. The lines from bottom to top are
e,g,b,d,f. The spaces are f,a,c,e.

LEGER OR LEDGER LINES
These add a higher or lower pitch to the staff.

BAR LINE
Separates measures

DOUBLE BAR LINE
Separates parts within a piece of music. Used when
changing key and when it is bold it usually means you are
done with the musical piece.

BRACE OR ACCOLADE
Connects staffs. Two or more staffs are needed for a
brace. Piano music is a great example of this.

CLEFS

G CLEF (TREBLE CLEF)
Most common clef used in music today. Most of the
melodies you hear can be written in this clef. This can be
thought of as a soprano clef. Basically a clef is
determined by pitch range.

C CLEF (ALTO OR TENOR CLEF)
This clef can be thought of as an alto or tenor clef. It can
be movable. Middle c is determined where the middle of
the picture is pointing to. In this case it is the third line
and for that reason it is an alto clef. If it were pointing to
the fourth line it would be a tenor clef. This clef is mostly
used for alto or tenor instruments such as a viola, cello,
bassoon, etc.

F CLEF (BASS CLEF)
This and the treble clef are most popular. This is basically
in the low range of music.

NOTE AND RESTS

HOLE NOTE
This note gets four beats

WHOLE NOTE REST
Rest for four beats

HALF NOTE
This note gets two beats
(to get three beats a dot is placed next to a half note)

HALF NOTE REST
Rest for two beats

QUARTER NOTE
This note gets one beat

QUARTER NOTE REST(S)
Rest for one beat

EIGHTH NOTE
This note get half of the beat

EIGHTH NOTE REST
Rest for half a beat

SIXTEENTH NOTE
This note gets a quarter of the beat

SIXTEENTH NOTE REST
Rest for a quarter of the beat

BEAMED NOTES
The example to the left is an eighth note that is
beamed. Sixteenth notes also can be beamed.

DOTTED NOTES
A dot adds half the value to the existing note. The half
note (two beats) plus half the value for the dot (one beat)
gives us three beats.

MULTI-MEASURED REST
A bold line with vertical lines at the beginning and end
indicates many measured rests. In this case the
measured rest is ten measures.

BREAKS, PAUSES, ACCIDENTALS, AND KEY
SIGNATURES

BREATH MARK
A pause in the musicusually in singing but occurs in
instrumental music also.

CAESURA
A stop in the music (most likely a sudden stop). The
stop is usually brief but can have a great impact if done
right.

FLAT
Lowers the pitch of the note a half step

SHARP
Raises the pitch of the note a half step

NATURAL
This offsets the key signature or previous accidental.

DOUBLE FLAT
Lowers the pitch a whole step

DOUBLE SHARP
Raises the pitch a whole step


FLAT KEY SIGNATURE
A simple explanation is a piece of music that has at least
one flat in it. There can be 7 of these but most music has
about four. The key signature can be found at the
beginning of the piece or at the beginning of each line of
music.

SHARP KEY SIGNATURE
A simple explanation is a piece of music that has at least
one flat in it.

TIME SIGNATURES

SPECIFIED TIME SIGNATURE
The top number lets you know how many beats are in the
bar. The bottom number specifies the note value
determining what gets counted in a bar.

COMMON TIME
The same as 4/4 time

CUT TIME
This is actually 2/2 time. The top 2 meaning you have
two beats to the bar with the half note determining what
is counted in the bar.

METRONOME MARK
This tells you how fast the note is played. In the example
to the left, the quarter note=120


NOTE RELATIONSHIPS

TIE
The same note is played

SLUR
Two or more notes that have no break or breath

PORTAMENDO OR GLISSANDO
A continuous glide from one note another note

TUPLET
This is an irregular structure in which the notes are to be
equal but played in the time allowed.

CHORD
The first, third, and fifth of a scale that is played together

ARPEGGIATED CHORD
Fast succession of the notes instead of hitting all the
notes at the same time

DYNAMICS

PIANISSISSIMO
A note that is played very very soft (you rarely see
anything that is to played any softer)

PIANISSIMO
A note the is played very soft (this is the softest you
most likely see in music)

PIANO
A note that is played soft

MEZZO PIANO
A note that is played half as soft as piano

MEZZO FORTE
A note the is played half as loud as forte (this is the
default level if no marking is given)

FORTE
A note that is played loud

FORTISSIMO
A note that is played very loud

FORTISSISSIMO
A note that is played very very loud

SFORZANDO
A note that is played with a sudden or fierce sound

FORTE PIANO
A section of music that is played loud then suddenly soft

CRESCENDO
A note or group of notes that is played soft and gets
louder

DECRESCENDO OR DIMINUENDO
A note or group of notes that is played loud and gets
softer

ARTICULATION MARKS

STACCATO
This note is to be played short and somewhat punched

STACCATISSIMO
This note is to be played short and more punched than
staccato

TENUTO
The line on top means the note is to be played long. Not
necessarily longer than the note value but played out
and more prevalent.

MARCATO
This is an attack sign and the note or notes should be
played with that in mind

FERMATO
This note is played and held (how long depends on the
musician or leader of the group)

ORNAMENTS

TRILL
Very fast playing of the note specified and the next note
according to the key signature

MORDENT
Very fast playing of the note specified and the next note
according the key signature. This is not continuous as
in the trill. When you get back to the original note you
hold the specified note.

TURN
This can be done is many different ways. The main idea
is playing the specified note, playing the next note
(within the same key signature), returning to the
specified note, playing the next lower note (within the
same key signature), and landing back at the specified
note.

APPOGGIATURA
First play the top note than the specified note equally in
time value

ACCIACCATURA
First play the top note than the specified note (Yes the
appoggiatura and acciaccatura have the same definition
and how do you distinguish the two? You can see they
look exactly the same. Knowing what the composer
wanted can only help you.

OCTAVES

OTTAVA ALTA
Notes are to be played one octave higher than what is
noted

QUINDICESIMA ALTA
Notes are to be played two octaves higher than what is
noted

OTTAVA BASSA
Notes are to be played an octave lower than what is
noted

QUINDICESIMA BASS
Notes are to be played two octaves lower than what is
noted

REPETITION AND CODAS

TREMOLO
A note that is rapidly repeated. In this case the note
actually becomes a thirty-second note because there are
three lines through it.

REPEAT SIGN
The passage just played should be played again

SIMILE MARKS
These are marks that say you need to repeat a bar or
number of bars. The first example the left means repeat
the previous bar the second example means repeat the
previous two bars

VOLTA BRACKETS
This pertains to endings of a piece of music.

DA CAPO
Go back to the beginning of the piece and play it again
till you see al fine or the coda

DAL SEGNO
Repeat starting from the nearest segno. Play until you
see al fine or the coda marking.

SEGNO
Where you start after seeing the D.S. marking

CODA
Takes you to the end of the piece after playing a D.S. or
D.C.

I would like to thank Wikipedia for using their symbols. Also, Text of Creative Commons
and Free Documentation License