Treble Clef – Learn How to Read the Notes in the Treble Clef

Posted on December 31, 2011 by
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Learning how to read music is like map reading. When you look at a map, the first thing you want to see is a sign saying “You Are Here.” This is the job of the clef in music.

The two most common clefs in music are the treble clef and the bass clef. The treble clef is used to notate high-pitched notes. Instruments with a high sound read from the treble clef e.g. the flute, clarinet, violin, the female voice and the right hand piano part.

When the treble clef is used, it gives an exact indication of the pitch (or height) of the notes that follow. It looks like an ornate letter G. In fact, another name for it is the G clef.



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Reading Guitar Sheet Music or Tab

Posted on December 27, 2011 by
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Being able to read guitar sheet music can be an invaluable asset in today’s world.  As we know, becoming a pro guitarist means entering a very competitive field.  You will need every advantage you can muster, and then some.  So before we go any further let’s first answer a basic question: isn’t being able to read guitar tabs good enough?  If you’re looking to make a name for yourself or a living as a guitarist then the answer would be “no”.  By no means does this negate the importance of tab, but in a world that is often oversaturated with guitar players, knowing how to read sheet music can make the difference between success and failure.  Let us break things down so we can understand them.

1. Guitar Tabs

While tab or tablature seems to be a rather new invention that came along with the electric guitar, in truth it has been around for quite awhile.  Even before the invention of the instrument we know today as “guitar”, we see examples of tablature being used especially with fretted instruments such as the lute. Examples of tab in the Western world today date as far back as the 1300′s. In Asia tablature was used even before that.

In today’s world guitar tab is made up of six lines that represent the six strings of the guitar (four in the case of a bass guitar) on which numbers are placed which correspond to the frets on the guitar. Most of the tab formats do not show you the rhythm.  The information which is presented gives you a good picture of what strings and frets should be played. The tab format does not give you information in regards to the notes (pitches) being played.

2. Guitar Sheet Music

The sheet music for guitar on the other hand provides you with rhythmic as well as pitch (note) information. It is important because it’s like getting a detailed blueprint of a hotrod car. It allows you to see inside and understand exactly how the parts work together.  This is fantastic because you can use this information to fix your own hotrod if it breaks down, or build a new one. In pretty much the same way, knowing how to read sheet music allows you to understand and break things down, analyze the Masters and use those techniques when building your own compositions.

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How to Read Piano Sheet Music

Posted on December 26, 2011 by
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When it comes to reading piano sheet music, the first place to start is with the individual elements of the composition itself. Before you can tackle an entire piece, you must be familiar with that particular composition’s language.

The following are steps to consider in reading piano sheet music. These will help you grasp the intent and nuances of the piece quickly.

* Look over the entire composition to get a feel for its length and structure. This first run through is just to have a quick overview of the composer’s work.

* Go through the piece a second time. This second run through is more deliberate. You want to locate any unfamiliar things: notes, chords, articulations and tempo indications. Highlight any of these that you know will require research. Use a music dictionary or other resource to understand these elements.

* Next, consider the time signature of the piece. Are you familiar with it? If not, read up on the specific time signature, as it is a primary characteristic of the song.

* Consider the key signature of the composition. Are you familiar with this key or is it new? If it’s new to you, learn the key’s scale with its attendant sharps or flats to better understand the piece.

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Sheet Music Sight Reading Techniques

Posted on December 26, 2011 by
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If you are interested in learning to play new music and you are somewhat familiar with reading sheet music then there are techniques that will help you pick up new songs more quickly. The definition of sight reading is as simple as it sounds. You are able to play new music by reading the sheet music that corresponds to that piece. While you do need a bit of prior knowledge to understand the notation and structure you will find that it can be much easier than you might think.

Playing music can be somewhat physical, but the majority of the work is actually mental. Also, just because you might be a very good musician on your chosen instrument there is no guarantee that you can sight read. There have been many very famous musicians who could not read the first note. On some of the more difficult pieces an artist may take months of work to get the hardest parts right. One very important part of sight reading can be the ability to either sight harmonize or improvise.

When you reach a very difficult part and are unsure how to proceed it is at times acceptable to adapt the score to your current ability level. This is known as improvisation. It may also be that you feel that you would have a greater impact on your audience with a few changes here and there in the score. Both of these are decent arguments as to why improvisation can be a very important tool for the budding musician. Another very powerful tool is the ability to play by ear.

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How to Read Guitar Music, Chords and Notes

Posted on December 26, 2011 by
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In order to play the guitar, you need to learn how to read guitar music. Learning and understanding it may sound complicated but once you get used to it, it is actually quite simple and can be done in a breeze.

To play guitar music, first you must understand the basic chord patterns and what they are. A guitar chord is a sound composed of different notes being played on the guitar. Once you know the chord formation then you can start building the chord progression patterns to play a whole decent song.

In order to read the guitar music you must first understand the common terms, and the first on this example are the major chords. Major chords are the major notes. It’s the most basic chords used in guitar playing. The major chords are composed of series of notes from the chromatic scale (the major scale C, D, E, F…) without alteration.

Then there are the Minor chords. Minor chords are also chords based on the major scale but instead of the normal notes used on a chord, the 2nd note should be a half step lower, so if the C chord is made up of C,E, and G notes, the Cm chord will have a C D# and G note. Major and Minor chords are the common chords used in a chord progression.



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